Happy
by xLIVExEVILxSTEALxCOOKIESx
Summary: Fem!Ryo Ryoma was abused as a child.Now at age 12 she returns to the country where it all happened with her foster parents Nanjiro & Rinko Echizen. Can Ryoma face her bad memories? Good thing she's not alone , SEIGAKU TO THE RESCUE !
1. Prologue

**Happy**

The young girl with molten gold eyes and emerald green hair popped her head up from under the blankets. She had dragged them into her corner with her that night. She had slept with her legs tucked tightly into her body and her head in her pale, thin arms that gripped her knees again. She slowly stretched her arms behind her head and winced as she felt her arms and legs for injuries. The beatings were really hard last night. She had multiple bruises everywhere. The colours interested her somewhat. But the pain that enveloped her made her forget all about the interesting colours that decorated her sickeningly pale skin. She might have dropped to the floor and cried if this wasn't a regular occurrence. It had been happening for three years, since her mother had died. Usually she managed to go unnoticed by her father she'd make him breakfast then sneak away to avoid his wrath. She learned when she was just four that it was her job to feed him. Even though young Ryoma Echizen was only six, she was a genius; she could already cook and had been reading since she was two. She was smart enough to avoid her father when possible and not to give a reaction when he hit her or when he blamed her for mothers' death. Ryoma had always wondered how she could have been responsible for the death of her mother when it was a car crash.

Yes, Ryoma was a genius, but even she didn't know why she covered her bruises every day, or why she hadn't told anyone. The question she asked herself every day

_Why?_


	2. Middle school never ends

**Happy**

Ryoma bolted upright in her bed, she hadn't had _that dream _in a while. She briefly wondered why she had dreamt of the morning after the beating but she was glad for it. She didn't want to remember what her supposed _father _had done to her, what he had called her…

"Oi Gaki get up!" Nanjiro called from downstairs. He was her adoptive father and Rinko was her adoptive mother. The Echizens had taken her in when she was seven. It had taken Ryoma a while to get used to them but now, five years later, Ryoma had gotten used to calling Nanjiro her baka Oyaji and Rinko Okaa-san.

Ryoma walked down the stairs in her new school uniform. Her new, _Japanese_ school uniform. Ryoma was natively Japanese, and that was exactly the problem. As soon as they could, the Echizens moved to America, far away from all of Ryomas' painful memories. But they had decided just months ago that it would do Ryoma good to come back to her roots and face her fears. That she supposed was the reason for her dreams, being back in Japan was beyond weird for her. She didn't recognise a lot of Japanese cultures and traditions as her own. She felt like a stranger in her own country.

"Hai, hai baka Oyaji"

"Gaki, I'm not old!"

"But you are a baka" Ryoma smirked and grabbed a slice of toast, if there was something she liked better in Japan was the food and they had gone and made American food anyway. But she was already running late for her first day of school ,so she didn't waste time complaining.

"RYOMA WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?"

Ryoma winced visibly at her Okaa-sans voice "My uniform" Ryoma stated as if she didn't know what Rinko was talking about.

"Why aren't you wearing that cute, little, green, _girls_ uniform?" Rinko demanded

"But Okaa-san the girls uniform is slutty, the skirt is _way_ too short and green has to be the _ugliest_ colour they could have thought up for the girls uniform" Ryoma whined.

Yes Ryoma Echizen was wearing Seishuen Gakuens' _boys_ uniform. Instead of a white blouse with big red bow and short green skirt that went up to your hips ,she wore a white shirt with a black blazer and black straight leg pants. Matched with her short pixie cut, Ryoma looked almost like a boy. Albeit a _very_ pretty boy. Ryoma had black hair tinted emerald and golden catlike eyes that challenged every one and thing. Her lithe frame was em… fun size. Making her a perfect Lolita, that is if she was an extreme tomboy. But that's not what she was known for. She was known for her awesome tennis skills. She had won 4 consecutive junior tennis tournaments. Against boys and girls. She had picked up tennis naturally when her Oyaji had started teaching her. She liked using tennis to vent up her frustrations and stress, and though she would never admit it, she wanted to be a good at tennis to make her Oyaji proud, the Echizens really did a lot for her.

Ryoma somehow managed to leave the house in her boys uniform and took her time walking to school, it was cold so she buttoned up her oversized blazer (they only had boys sizes and this was the smallest) Her white fila cap was firmly on her head and she smirked up at her new school.

_Seishuen Gakuen ne? This should be interesting_

**Authors note**

Gaki = Brat

Baka = Idoit

Oyaji= Old man

Okaa-san= Mom

Hai= Yes


	3. Meeting Momo

Happy

Ryoma walked out of her class and yawned. She had gotten weird looks from some of the students in her first three classes. She found it weird at the amount of girls that asked if she was single. Huffing slightly, Ryoma buttoned up the very top button of her blazer and shoved her hands in her pockets. She briefly wondered if the school had ever heard of central heating before walking calmly to the cantine. She really wasn't in a rush.

In the meantime a teenager with a broom head hairstyle was running to get to the cantine. It was incredibly important for the boy with a bottomless pit for a stomach to get some food immediately. He had been late getting up and had been forced to skip breakfast, even he wasn't desperate enough for food to risk his tennis buchous wrath.

As the broom headed boy got lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the girl walking calmly in front of him, and so bumped into her. Or rather trampled her. He wouldn't have noticed at all had sed girl not picked herself up off the ground and hurled her school bag (really heavy school bag) directly at his head.

Three things happened at once. The boy fell over, Ryoma smirked and the entire hallway went quiet.

"Oi, that wasn't cool. It wasn't" The boy stood up and loomed over Ryoma who stared back into the boys eyes blankly.

"Give it back" She said evenly. And this confused the poor boy.

"My school bag" Ryoma elaborated calmly.

"WHAT? You mean the bag you just hit me with?"

"Obviously, what other bag could I mean?" Ryoma got one thing across to him in that sentence and in the look she gave him. She thought he was an idiot.

"GAKI! DISRESPECTING A SEMPAI"

"Betsuni" Ryoma walked past the boy and picked up her bag "Oh and it's Echizen Ryoma not gaki, _Sempai_" Ryoma smirked, making _Sempai_ sound exactly like _idiot_.

"Oi Echizen" He calls after Ryoma who had already started walking towards the cantine again "It's Momo-sempai"

Ryoma didn't even slow her pace "Betsuni" And Momo ground his teeth.

"He really shouldn't disrespect his sempai-tachi like that, he shouldn't" Momo then grinned and started walking in the opposite direction he had been going completely forget about his hunger. "He had a tennis bag, interesting"

**Authors note**

Buchou = captain

Sempai= upperclassmen

Betsuni= Whatever

-tachi = when added to the end of words pluralises it as far as I know :D

**Rate and Review Please ^w^**

Oh and thanks for all the reviews so far ,there will be a pairing, but I'm not sure who yet give me your suggestions


	4. The big reveal

Happy

Chapter 4

Ryoma walked calmly towards the tennis courts. It had been a tiring day (by her standards) and she just wanted to play some tennis. Her back still hurt from that Momo-sempai running over her. She scowled at the memory but then smirked at how he reacted when she threw her bag at him. All in all she deduced it was worth it and decided to just forget about it.

Another thing she was struggling to forget about was that some loud mouth was following her to courts. He was really excited about tennis, so usually she wouldn't have minded too much but this guy was seriously all talk. He didn't shut up!

"I HAVE TWO YEARS TENNIS EXPERIENCE, I'M A SHOO INN TO BE A REGUL-"

"SHUT UP" Ryoma stood back and yelled at him "I have been playing tennis since I was 2 and you don't see me bragging about it… except for now" Ryoma said, exasperated and kept walking. Leaving the loudmouth known as Horio silent, for at least 5 seconds before he started jogging to catch up with her

"NO WAY SUGOI ECHIZEN"

They were at the courts now. Ryoma noticed that the broom headed sempai from earlier was there. "Hey, it's peach boy!" Ryoma said as she entered the fenced courts. Momo and the 3 boys with him looked up. The first to start laughing was a red head boy with a bandage on his cheek. The second one to chuckle was a brunette with his eyes closed. The third boy didn't laugh he just buried his head in his notebook and said

"Iie data" as his opaque glasses glinted.

"Oi, it's Momo-sempai to you freshman" Momo said indignantly.

"Che, I told you it's Echizen Ryoma, not gaki and not freshman"

"Eh, do I know yo- HEY YOUR'E THE GUY THAT THREW YOUR BAG AT MY HEAD" Momo accused

" The very same" Ryoma smirked they had the entire tennis clubs attention.

"You shouldn't disrespect your sempai"

"You shouldn't trample your kohai" Ryoma shot back.

"Trampled you? Oh sorry that's probably cuz you're so short" Not meant to be offensive.

"Or maybe _you_ weren't looking where you were going baka" Ryoma huffed.

"At least I don't have a pretty face!" Momo shot back (doesn't know Ryoma's a girl)

"Are you hitting on me?" Ryoma asked evenly albeit slightly confused.

"WHAT? NO!"

"Jeez, will you shut up, you people are too loud" Ryoma winced at Momos' voice and plopped down on the ground. Much to a certain sadists amusement.

_She's funny, I don't think the rest knows she's a girl_

He thought with a chuckle.

"Fujiko o-chibi is funny" The red head said to his chuckling friend.

"Eiji, I don't know if Echizen seems like the type to like a nickname about height" Fuji said, careful to not mention Ryomas' gender.

"Don't be a spoil sport Fujiko!" Eiji complained.

"If it isn't Echizen Ryoma, how's your dad?" Ryuzaki sensei beamed at Ryoma.

"Still a baka" Ryoma replied simply and stood up with a letter in hand.

"Here" Ryoma threw the letter to Ryuzaki sensei like a Frisbee, fully confident she would catch it. Which she did. She looked down at the letter in her hands and scowled.

_To the old hag_

"Damn that Nanjiro" she cursed.

"What is it?" Oishi, the mother hen of the regulars asked, worried.

"She's just angry that my baka Oyaji still calls her an old hag" Ryoma explained as Ryuzaki skimmed through the letter, a lot of the tennis playing teens either tried to hide their laughter (some didn't bother to hide) others were stunned that someone _still_called her an old hag and wasn't dead yet.

"Oh, I see. Everyone, this is Echizen Ryoma she is the newest member of the tennis team" Ryuzaki sensei announced. Most people didn't notice the _she_part.

"Hey, where'd Ryoma go?" Ryuzaki asked when she looked up from the letter.

"Here" Ryoma called from where she stood with a can of ponta in her hand. The boys gaped. She had taken of her baggy blazer and fila cap. Silence fell as the penny dropped.

"YOU'RE A GIRL!"

Ryoma blinked once… twice then she smirked "Mada mada dane"

**Authors Note **

Sugoi= Awesome

Kohai= Underclassmen

Baka= Idiot, fool

O chibi= Kiddo (cus she's small XD)

Oyaji= old man

Sensei= coach, teacher

**Tnx for the awesome comments XD**

**So far the pairings haven't been decided yet. **

**PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW OR ILL PUT HER WITH HORIO don't think I wont do it. I'm **_**that**_** evil.**

**=D mwhahahahahaha**


	5. Mrs Boombastic

**Happy **

**Chapter 5**

Ryoma was only slightly miffed that the entire tennis team had thought she was a guy. It happened a lot when she wore baggy jackets and her fila cap. For her the reaction was worth it when they found out. After all she was _very_ pretty and they all thought she was a guy.

"Ryoma come here" Ryuzaki sensei demanded, though she was smirking too.

"Hai, hai" Ryoma walked disinterestedly over to where the old hag stood.

"It's been a while Ryoma!" Sed old hag laughed and slapped Ryoma on the back good naturedly. Causing Ryoma to fall forward and spill her ponta.

"Look what you did" Ryoma scowled (pouted) up at Ryuzaki sensei who just smiled back as the entire tennis club stared at the two.

"I can't believe I thought you were a guy" Momo boomed, looking at Ryoma with astonishment. Ryoma looked up and hissed in response.

"That's it everyone stop dawdling, go get changed. Everyone nodded and went to the changing rooms, bar Ryoma who sat at the side of the court and started unbuttoning her shirt.

"OCHIBI!" Eiji , seeing this yelled. Causing every ones attention to shift to them.

"What?" Ryoma blinked up at him.

"You can't get changed out here!"

"What you want me to go get changed with you guys?" Ryoma smirked and Eiji blushed.

"No, but you can't just-"

"Relax sempai, I'm already wearing my gear under my uniform" Ryoma stated, taking off her uniform shirt to reveal a red t-shirt with a slight V neck. Then she pulled down the pants to reveal black shorts.

"Ahh~ Okay then" Eiji walked off with the others to get changed.

He already felt exhausted and practise hadn't even started yet.

Behind him a certain sadist chuckled.

_Saa very interesting_

"Oi, girl if you think you can keep up with us then you've got-" Arai stopped mid-sentence when he noticed that Ryoma had headphones in.

"Aargh!" and with that Arai ripped the headphones out of their speakers. As soon as he did

"_Bec__ause I got high__" _Blared out of the fallen i-pod. Everyone on the tennis courts heard it. Most of them recognised it and some even started singing along.

"Turn it off" Tezuka, the almighty buchou said.

"_I was gonna go to court,_

_But then I got high_

_I was gonna pay my child support,_

_But then I got high (no you ain't)_

"It broke" Ryoma said sadly. And Tezuka felt a head ache coming.

_They took my whole pay check_

_And I know why _

_(Why man?) Yea Heyyy_

_Because I got high (x3)_

Then the record cut short and everyone sighed in relief. Until

_She call me Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic_

_Touch me in me back,_

_She say I'm Mr Ro-mantic_

"WHY DO YOU HAVE THESE SONGS?" Everyone yelled in unison at Ryoma who was on the ground, mourning her broken i-pod.

**Authors note**

**THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS**

Go to link below for songs

.com/watch?v=CtARnrWWSd8&feature=related

**please rate and review ^w^**


	6. Chaos in the Classroom

**Happy **

**Chapter 6**

**Fuji POV**

_Echizen Ryoma. I'm still not sure of what to think of her yet. I've never been the type to make snap judgements of people I just sit back and observe after my first general opinion of people and it's normally right. But, with her I'm confused. I'm called a tensai. A genius but this girl has me puzzled. Why?_

"Fujiko, you're zoned out nya!"

_An Enigma is definitely a word to describe her._

" Fujiko! Nya!"

_Amusing, yes her ability to cause a scene then walk away is remarkable_

"FUJIKO"

_Genius. Possibly in every sense of the word. From what Ryuuzaki sensei tells us, she's a prodigy at everything she tries. My sources haven't confirmed much yet on her since she lived in America. _

"FUJI SYUUSUKE"

"Saa" _I don't let any surprise show on my face. I zoned out. Very unlike me, if I wasn't so skilled at putting up a mask I would be blushing right now._

"Fujiko, you've been zoned out for like HOURS nya" _Eiji complains with __a pout on his face._

"Saa, really?" _I ask, Eiji sighs and sits down in his chair. It's a free class because our teacher__, Mrs Aioko__ isn't in. But I saw her in earlier. Rumours say that a freshman girl kept correcting her in class and made her have a brake-down. _

"This class is soooooo boring nya!" _My cat__ like friend whines. Mrs. Suzaki just bust through the door she looks really flustered. I'm fighting back a sadistic smile._

"Ehemm Where's your teacher?" _She's so un sure of herself. Hehehe._

"I believe she had a breakdown and forgot about us" _I say smiling serenely._

"Oh, what a coincidence"_ She looks like she's chewing a lemon._

"This is Ryoma Echizen. She had apparently found it of no importance that she had a IQ of over 200" _I open my eyes as Ryoma is dragged into the classroom. She looks like she was just woken up._

"OCHIBI" _Eiji. Ryoma is right now looking up at us –I'm waving- with a look of _

"_Crap" on her face. And now she's turning promptly on her heels and making her escape. As amusing as that was I feel hurt as she is forcefully dragged back into the classroom. Why am I so hurt by that? _

**Regular POV**

Ryoma was still slightly drowsy from the nap she took in her last class. Her teacher –whos' name she couldn't remember- had a complete meltdown. And yes it was partially –completely- her fault but she still couldn't listen to the teacher rant for too long without falling asleep. That class was the class before break and she was still un alert to her surroundings. Then again, she had also spent the lunch break sleeping on the roof.

"OCHIBI" Ryoma is snapped out of her daze by her loud red headed sempai. Sure enough, Eiji and Fuji were in the class she had just been steered into by the school secretary, Mrs Suzaki. Who had something earlier about moving classes or something…

_Hell no _

Ryoma thought and did a 180. Heading straight out the door. Only to be dragged back in again.

"Ryoma Echizen. If you think you're too good for freshman level then let's see how you cope in third year" Sneered Mrs Suzaki.

"Aren't you cruel" Ryoma smirked and went to sit down.

_This could be interesting_

Two tensais thought in unison.

"Hello, I'm Mr Naramura, Mrs Aoikos' replacement… is this the right room ?" A man asked coming in to the classroom.

"No" Ryoma and Fuji answered simultaneously.

"Yes it is" Mrs Suzaki sighed.

"Well let's get started then" he said brightly.

This action misled most of the students to think that they had a doss class ahead of them. Mr Naramura was in fact the strictest and least tolerant teacher in the area. Ryoma was now fully awake, and Fujis' interest was peaked. You really had to feel sorry for 'em. The teacher that is.

** About 20 minutes later **

"Actually sir the answer is…"

"That's it, shut up. This class does not need your contribution"

"Right then" And Ryoma lay her head in her folded arms on her desk.

"I see how Mrs Aioko had a brake-down" Smiled Fuji. Obviously amused. Eiji ,who was sitting next to his best friend had gone completely hyper off the 12 freddos Fuji had given him. –plus the excitement of seeing his ochibi-

The class had gone into complete chaos. All of it was of course orchestrad by Fuji. Not that anyone else noticed this. Except Ryoma. Being as observant as she was. She had noticed Fuji pupeteering the classroom into utter chaos. She responded with her own chaos. Questioning the teachers' every move while acting like she cared very little about any of it, along with other things. Together, Fuji and Ryoma launched the room into two separate cyclones of chaos battling each other out. Needless to say no one made it out without a migraine.

"That was fun" Fuji commented as they left the classroom "Good job"

"Whatever do you mean?" Ryoma smirked up at Fuji "Madda madda dane _Sempai_" she added as an afterthought and went off to her next class.

"Whaa? Ochibi left without waiting for us! Nya" Eiji whined to Fuji who just chuckled at him as he went into his own little world.

_What to make of Echizen Ryoma. Heh, I guess I still don't know. Still have a long way to go. _

**Authors note**

Okay peoples I tried to make this one longer please tell me what you think.

So in other words

**PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW**

If you don't know that "Madda Madda Dane" means "you still have a long way to go" then you should be ashamed of yourself. :(


	7. Death bikes and other nightmares

**Happy **

**chapter 7**

Ryoma was sweating cold bullets and sobbed silently in her sleep. Tossing and turning for several minutes before she finally bolted upright. Panting heavily, Ryoma tried to calm herself down.

_Stop it! Don't think about it, they can't hurt you anymore _Ryoma thought desperately. She had managed to keep it hidden from her family that she was _having dreams_ again. She hadn't wanted to worry her Okaa-san and Nanako, or even her baka Oyaji. At school she took out her stress on the teachers and unlucky tennis opponents. She had already crushed Arai and beat -with difficulty- Inui and Kaido.

Ryoma sighed looking at her alarm clock it read_**03**__**:54**_

_I'll never get back to sleep now_

Wide awake, the young teen slinked down the stairs making less sound than a tiger sneaking up on its' prey. Finally making it to the kitchen, Ryoma opened the refrigerator and was greeted with a tinny hum "Sshhhh" she hissed to fridge and pulled out a carton of milk. In truth Ryoma didn't like milk but Inui-sempai had become manager of the tennis team and said she had to drink at least two bottles of the drasted stuff a day so she would get taller.

_Taller my ass, he's just bitter that I beat him and took his place as a regular _

Pouring the milk into a wine glass –cus everything tastes better in a wine glass- Ryoma downed the whole glass in one and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Sitting cross-legged on her couch in the living room and switched on the tv at a low volume.

She wasn't quite sure when it was that she fell asleep. All she knew was that she was being shaken awake by her baka Oyaji.

"Oi Gaki wake up or you'll be late for school"

"Er…" Ryoma groaned. Then her eyes snapped into focus "WHAT TIME IS IT?" She yelled.

"Half seven" The ex-tennis pro laughed with a crooked smile.

"CRAP!" And Ryoma was up the stairs and changed into her uniform in record time.

"Bye, Okaa-san, Nanako-san, baka Oyaji" Ryoma called as she exited the house in a rush only to bump into a wall.

"Ow… Momo-Sempai! You're not a wall!" Ryoma exclaimed as she noticed her sempai. Then scowled back at her Oyaji who was laughing at her.

"No I'm not a wall, not a wall at all" Momo laughed.

"Che, whatever" Ryoma started walking towards school. Completely forgetting about being in a rush.

"Hey gaki, wait up. I'm here to give you a lift!" Momo yelled as he caught up with Ryoma on his bike.

"You're too loud" Ryoma complained but stopped anyway. Momo taking this as her accepting his offer of a lift grinned from ear to ear "Hop on!"Ryoma complied grudgingly. As soon as she was on the back of the bike she regretted it. Holding on for dear life Ryoma clung to Momo, digging her nails into him.

_Damn you, Momo-sempai_

_Whoo-hoo!_

Thought the two riders on the death bike. –as dubbed by Ryoma-

Ryoma was still clinging to Momo –who was laughing at her- when they pulled up outside the school. She hadn't even realised they stopped as she had her eyes shut tight and her head spinning.

"Saa, what do we have here?" Fuji opened his eyes, revealing a startling blue.

"I thought I'd bring our kohai to school since she's always late" Momo laughed and Ryoma blinked realising she they had stopped She let go of Momo and stepped aside.

"My, it seems our little Ryo-chan has a hard time letting go" Fuji observed with still opened eyes.

"Erm.. Fuji sempai?" Momo was getting nervous under Fujis' glare.

"Oi Momoko, Fujiko! We're gonna be late for tennis practise nya!" Eiji bounced up beside the duo and slung his arm around Fuji who returned to his closed eyed smile "Saa you're right"

"Er… where'd Echizen go?" Momo had the confused look on his face that was more perpetual than Fujis' smile.

"Mada mada dane" Ryoma called from where she stood, fully changed on the tennis courts.

"That brat" Momos eyebrow twitched as Tezuka turned to where he stood alone. Fuji and Eiji had since abandoned him.

"Momoshiro 20 Laps when you get changed"

Even from as far away as Momo was he could see the smirk on Ryomas' face.

_That's what you get for tricking me into going on a death ride _

**Authors note**

YAY I got 20 reviews! Fuji's starting to show his jealous side!

**Please rate and review!**


	8. Of tennis tracks and skipping class

**Happy **

'_**flashback/ dream'**_

Normal speech

_Thought_

**Chapter 8 **

' _**Firm hands lashed out at the far too skinny girl. It was too much to ignore. The girl curled up into a ball; making herself a smaller target. Her emerald tinted hair was laced with crimson as well as the black of dried blood. Her sickly pale hands gripped her arms, drawing blood with each blow growing stronger. It might have minutes, hours, days …It didn't matter. They could have been there forever, a feeling of hate that should have been mutual between father and daughter. But she couldn't bring herself to **__**hate**__** him. Not the man her mother had loved so… who her brother still loved, who was respected in their small village. She often wondered if she **__**was**__** the wrong one, the bad, disgusting one as her so called father had told her countless times. If everyone liked him so much. **_

"_**You are disgusting**__**! **__**Pathetic**__**! It was **__**your fault**__** everything is **__**your fault**__** Myoku died because of you!"' **_

Ryoma sobbed gently as she tossed and turned

"My…Fault…" She whispered through sobs

"Wake up! Ryoma wake up!" Nanjiro shook his adoptive daughter with worry etched on his face. He had woken up to the sound of her sobbing.

"STOP!" Ryoma shot up like a bullet. Her forehead connected with her Oyajis, causing him to fall over and her headache to worsen. She blinked a few minutes before remembering where she was. Sighing in relief, Ryoma closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself down.

Opening her eyes, she saw her Oyaji staring at her with concerned eyes. The woman who she had taken to thinking of as her mother was standing in the doorway with Nanako wearing the same expression.

"Good morning" Ryoma said hoarsely

"GOOD MORNING? HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMEYTHING LIKE THAT AFTER US FINDING YOU CRYING IN YOUR SLEEP AGAIN?" Nanjiro yelled and for a moment fear flashed in Ryomas' eyes. Seeing this, Nanjiro flinched and resolved to calm himself down.

"How long?" Rinko asked with tears brimming her eyes

"Since we came back to Japan" Ryoma admitted, not bearing to look at her mother who was obviously hurt by the revelation.

"Why couldn't you tell us?" Nanjiro whispered. Ryoma could tell he felt guilty. It was his idea to move back to Japan.

"I didn't want you to worry" Ryoma looked up again so they could see she wasn't lying. Even if that meant showing the tears that were threatening to pour out of her eyes.

"Oh, Ryoma, you know you can tell us anything right?" Rinko embraced her daughter in a warm hug that caused he young teen to break down and cry in front of her parents and cousin. The

They felt slightly happy about this as Ryoma never liked to show weakness in front of anyone. This happiness was overshadowed by guilt, sympathy and fury at the ones who had done this to her.

_Her own father and brother! _Nanjiro thought with his fists clenched as Ryoma continued to cry into her mothers' shoulder.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Later at morning tennis practise~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

"Ryo-chan is later than usual" Fuji stated as he shook hands with Eiji across the net.

"Yea *pant* I hope *pant*she's not sick, nya" Fuji had one the match 6-4, Eiji had lost his stamina halfway through and lost two games recharging. He managed to make a comeback in the last game but it was too late.

"Here she comes, her eyes look red iie data" Inuis' glasses glinted as he thought of his opportunity to test his new Penal-tea on the poor girl.

"Sorry I'm late buchou" Ryoma bowed to Tezuka before looking up into his brown eyes to await her punishment.

"What no excuse?"

"No, buchou" Ryoma said tiredly with literally no energy to come up with an excuse.

_She looks about five years older _Tezuka noted with concern for their super rookie.

"Five laps" Tezuka said briskly "Everyone else back to practise" He barked. Some people looked as if they were going to complain about the lax punishment, after all she had missed most of practise but they shut their mouths when they saw her face. It looked as if she had cried for hours.

All of the regulars were especially worried for their Ochibi. Fuji opened his eyes and Eiji wasn't hyper. Ryoma ignored all the concerned looks shot at her as she ran her five laps.

_Great, now I've worried them too. I feel terrible_

At the end of her laps, Ryoma kept running. Too absorbed with her own thoughts to notice. Fuji placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. He was surprised and hurt when she flinched away from his touch and looked at him with fear in her eyes. She quickly composed herself and closed her eyes lightly.

"My laps are done aren't they?" She asked, embarrassed.

"Yes, 4 laps ago. Personally I wanted to see how many you'd run before you noticed but they" He jerked his thumb at the other regulars "Said that was cruel" Fuji hid his worry expertly behind his closed eyed smile.

"Probably 20" Ryoma sighed, looking at the obviously worried regulars "just out of habit"

"Well, I should probably also tell you that school has already started too"

"Crap, oh well I doubt they're missing me. Why aren't you guys in class?" She said evenly. Her usual disinterested façade in place.

"We were worried about you!" Oishi blurted, he of everybody seemed the most worried. Everyone else nodded. They flinched at the guilty look that flashed across her face.

"Sorry" she said quietly " I didn't mean to worry anyone" Eiji ran up and hugged the short girl. In truth most of the others wanted to hug her too, but restrained themselves. Fuji could have sworn that she leaned into the hug before attempting to push him off fruitlessly.

"We should all get to class" Tezuka said with command lacing his every word.

"Buchou? You skipped class?" Ryoma stared disbelievingly at the buchou of the tennis team who did not accept any rule breaking.

"I was also concerned for you…" Ryomas' jaw dropped to the ground "it wouldn't be good if you collapsed" He added almost as an after-thought. Ryoma and Fuji smirked identical smirks. Which freaked everyone out as they were standing right next to each other.

"Thanks for the concern buchou, but I'm sure someone would have moved me before I could get in the way of practise" Ryoma said. Certain of the fact.

"That's not what I meant actually…" Ryoma blinked, confused. She had never known anyone outside her new family to be kind to her. She didn't completely understand.

"Ryo-chan what Tezuka is trying to say is that he was worried about you because he thinks of you as his darling little sister!" Fuji explained. Tezuka blushed ever so slightly and said

"FUJI, That's not true!"

"Would daughter be more correct?" Fuji asked innocently.

"Ahh, I see now. If I collapsed out on the track something could happen so that I couldn't play tennis!" Ryoma smiled, happy she had got it. Despite themselves everyone else smiled too.

_She really doesn't think about anything but tennis_

**Authors note**

Due to popular demand (one person) I decided to give more details of her dreams.

Next chapter's gonna be a Halloween special! (a late Halloween special but it will still be cool and hopefully scary! or funny depending on what you guys request!)

**Thanks for all the reviews!**

**Please r & r **


	9. This is Halloween

**Happy Halloween special ****part 1**

**:D Mwhahahahaha**

'_**Dreams /flashbacks'**_

_Thoughts_

Normal

' _**With a 'thump' the frail greenettes' fist connected with the hard wall of her bedroom. Golden eyes stared down at the floor or more specifically at the girl who was now coiled against the wall pitifully. **_

"_**Ryoma…" He breathed, not sure if he could trust his voice to say any more any louder. The girl looked up at her brother. "Ryoga" The seven year old replied evenly, monotonously. Her eyes lacked the will to live.**_

"_**I'm so so sorry" Ryoga suddenly broke into tears as he embraced his little sister. He had a hugely guilty look on his face. He had never hit Ryoma himself. He just watched silently. He stayed out of their fathers' way. Abandoning his own little sister in favour of saving himself. "So so sorry" Ryoma was shocked to say the least. She just sat there with wide eyes and let her brother sob into her. **_

"_**What is going on here?" boomed the man standing in the doorway. Both siblings looked fearfully up at the man "Father" They both recognised the man.**_

"_**Ryoga, you're the good kid! What the hell are you doing with that brat?" **_

"_**She's not a brat she's my sister, **__**your**__** daughter and what you're doing is sic**__**-" His rant was cut short by a knife cutting into him. He gasped in pain.**_

"_**TRAITOR" There was a crazy look in their fathers eyes as crimson clouded Ryomas' vision. **_

_**She screamed'**_

Ryoma screamed as she bolted up in her bed. Hyperventilating at first, she sat still in her bed as she waited for her pace to slow and her breathing to return to normal. Meanwhile Nanjiro and Rinko ran upstairs to her room.

"Ryoma" They said at once. Ryoma looked up at them, so completely calm that if they didn't know any better they would have thought that they didn't hear the scream.

"I'm fine, just a dream" Ryoma said in a reassuring tone, which was ironic considering the reason the parents had ran up the stairs.

"That's why you shouldn't sleep til six o'clock in the afternoon" Nanjiro chided with his usual wide grin.

"SERIOUSLY?" Ryoma yelled and Rinko chuckled as she flopped unceremoniously out of bed and started searching for her clock. When she found it she blushed red "I can't believe I slept til 6" she sighed as Nanjiro started laughing.

"Ryoma, you should change into your costume" Rinko reminded her daughter

"Do I have to? It's not like I'm planning on going anywhere" Ryoma groaned.

"Yes gaki, you do. Halloween is fun!" Nanjiro exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Besides, Nanako and I have already bought your costume" Rinko giggled in a way that made Ryoma swallow a lump in her throat.

_This gonna be a long Halloween _

"I can't believe you bit me!" Nanjiro squawked as he sucked on his bitten wrist.

"You deserved it!"Ryoma glared at her baka oyaji.

"It was just a joke, GOD" Nanjiro whined.

_Making fun of her Halloween costume is what dads do!_

Ryoma was in a _very_ bad mood. Her okaa-san and Nanako had forced her into a _horrible_ costume and her oyaji had only made it worse by making fun of her.

Ryoma was wearing a blue little dress (with a huge bow on the back no less) with black and white striped thigh length socks and black buckled wedges and a black bow placed cutely on the top of her emerald tinted hair. If you haven't guessed already, she was Alice from "Alice in wonderland" And she absolutely hated it.

"But you're soooo cute" Nanako cooed in her witch costume.

"Absolutely adorable" Agreed Rinko, who wore a Medusa (pretty version) costume.

"I'm just glad I don't have to go out in public in _this" _Ryoma collapsed onto the coach and the doorbell rang as if on cue.

"Ryoma, could you go get that please, Nanako and I have to prepare a real feast "

"Hai, hai" Ryoma sighed and got up to go to the door. She grew more and more annoyed as she drew closer to the door. They just wouldn't stop ringing the damn doorbell.

"Oi we know you're home! The lights are on nya!"

"Saa, they'll be out in a minute, or we'll just have to trick them won't we?" Ryoma froze

_Hell no, not them_

"Damn, it is you guys" Ryoma cursed as she opened the front door, her shoulders slumped when she saw the regulars (plus Inui) on her doorstep. "Aren't you guys too old for trick or treating? Buchou you agreed to doing this?"

"…Ryoma?" They all said at once (except Inui and Tezuka)

Fuji opened his eyes and rolled his cerulean gaze over Ryomas' body… er costume .

"Alice in wonderland?" Fuji asked with eyes closed and an amused grin.

"Shut up! Vampire?" Ryoma replied .

"No, Gerard Way, he's the lead singer of- "

"My Chemical Romance. I know"

"Ochibi! talk to us too, nya" Eiji glomped Ryoma, who had forgotten to brace herself and ended up collapsing under the third years' weight. As the two fell to the ground Fujis' eyes snapped open in worry (jealousy)

Nanjiro came out at that moment, looked down , said "Go somewhere else to do that" and left again. Eiji blushed like crazy and jumped up to his feet whilst Ryoma rolled her eyes and got up.

"I'll go get some sweets for you scary boys" Ryoma said in a teasing voice and went to go get the pre-prepared bags of sweets.

"Wow, nice house!" Momo exclaimed, Ryoma turned around to see that they had all entered into her home.

"Is waiting outside really so hard?" Ryoma grumbled just loud enough for 1 Fuji Syuusuke to hear.

"Sorry Ryo-chan they all wanted to see the inside of your house, so now that we're here…" Fuji chukled.

"Don't call me Ryo-chan" Ryoma pouted at her sempai with her hands on hips.

"YOU SHOULD COME TRICK OR TREATING WITH US NYA!"

"Yadda"

"She'd love to" Rinko interjected, smiling

"What?"

" Yay, let's go Ryo-chan" And with that, Ryoma was dragged out of the house with her Okaa-san waving happily after her.

_This is going to be a long night_

Ryoma thought as she was dragged away by her sempai-tachi.

**Authors' note**

Sorry for the delay This was part 1 of the Halloween special, part two should be up tomorrow

Don't kill me if it's not.

**Thanks for the reviews 8D **

**Love you all**

**PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW**


	10. Halloween Halloween

**Happy Halloween special **part 2

**Previously **

_"YOU SHOULD COME TRICK OR TREATING WITH US NYA!"_

_"Yadda"_

_"She'd love to" Rinko interjected, smiling_

_"What?"_

_" Yay, let's go Ryo-chan" And with that, Ryoma was dragged out of the house with her Okaa-san waving happily after her._

_**This is going to be a long night**_

_Ryoma thought as she was dragged away by her sempai-tachi_

**Currently**

"Ryo-chan it would be easier to go trick or treating if you co-operated" Fuji chuckled at the pile on the floor that was Ryoma.

"Yadda, don't want to" The pile mumbled from where she was being dragged along the ground by the hyperactive cat biy who was currently on a sugar high.

"Echizen, just get up and walk or it's twenty laps around the block" Tezuka, the voice of authority even outside of school ordered.

"Hai, buchou" Ryoma stood up and sighed "Why are we trick or treating again?"

"FREE SWEETS" Momo and Eiji yelled at the same time in R yomas' face. They each got a chop to the nerve cluster on their necks for their troubles, knocking them out cold.

"You've got to tell me how to do that" Fuji smiled, impressed.

"Echizen, why did you do that" Tezuka pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry, too close" Ryoma grinned sheepishly, poking the collapsed sempais with her foot (to make sure they were still breathing)

They all side stepped Ryoma a bit as Eiji and Momo woke up.

"Being unconscious for that many minutes could kill a few brain cells, not that you'd miss them" Ryoma said, offering the boys a hand (to fight over)

"Whaaa, Oishi Ochibi is being mean!" Eiji shot up and glomped his doubles partner

"What happened?" Momo just sat up rubbing his head. Ryoma let her hand drop to the side.

"Baka" Kaido hissed.

"Saa, let's go shall we?" Fuji said with a slightly wider smile than usual.

"Yea" They all agreed and started walking up to go to the first house of the night with Ryoma with them, except for Momo and Kaido who were busy arguing.

After going to many houses, the group of teens were just about ready to collapse.

"Let's just go to one more house, nya" Eiji said.

"Fine" They all agreed and walked up to the closest house.

"If no one is here –or if they are grumps that hate Halloween and refuse to open the door- then we just go and leave it at that, okay?" Oishi said as he rang the doorbell.

"Hai" The tennis team said in unison. When the door opened the door what stood in the doorway caused six of them to scream –Tezuka remained stoic, Fuji smiled and took a picture of the rest and Ryoma had been through too much for this to scare her-

"Oi, don't be so rude!" The cause of their screams reprimanded them.

"RYUZAKI-SENSEI?" They yelled and Ryoma snickered.

"Yes, and I'm not that scary! Oh and nice costume Ryoma" Ryuzaki folded her arms and smirked at Ryoma who stopped snickering.

"I could say the same for you!" Ryoma folded her arms too.

"Saa, Ryuzaki-sensei makes an excellent witch, ne?" Fuji says, smiling.

"I'm not a witch, and I'm not even in a costume!"

"O.o"

"We're just gonna go now" Ryoma said and the rest nodded dumbly and turned on heel and walked the way they came as Tezuka bowed curtly to Ryuzaki sensei before catching up with the rest of the team.

Sitting on a swing in the park they decided to go rest in, Ryoma released a sigh.

"I've known that woman for years and I was still surprised" She confessed and started swinging gently. The rest of the regulars sat on the ground, except for Tezuka who stood and Fuji who sat swinging gently on the one next to Ryoma.

"How do you know Ryuzaki-sensei so well anyway?"

"She taught my baka Oyaji when he was in Seigaku and they kept in touch" Ryoma explained.

"Your baka Oyaji, you mean the man that came out when Eiji was on top of you?" Fuji smiled as Eiji blushed.

"Really, you really look like him!" Momo said, trying to divert attention away from Eiji.

"Funny, considering I'm adopted" Ryoma smirked. The teens were silent for a moment. It was an awkward silence as none of them knew what to say. Sorry? Was it wrong to feel sorry for her?

"It's okay" Ryoma said "Oyaji and Okaa-san are much better at the whole "parent" thing than my _real_father"

"Not your mother?" Fuji said out of natural curiously and mentally berated himself for the kicked puppy look that flashed in Ryomas' eyes before she spoke.

"She died in a car crash when I was 3" Ryoma said quietly and expertly held back her tears. All the memories that came along with this statement came back to her.

After the funeral when her Father looked at her coldly for the first time.

The first time he blamed her for her mothers' death. The first beating.

The breaking point when she lost faith in everything and one and the day Ryoga apologised and hugged her, her father finding out …

Ryoma didn't notice the tears that streamed down her face.

"Blood, everywhere" She whispered into her hands unconsciously. She had long since stopped swinging as had Fuji and all the regulars stood up around her looking incredibly worried about their wonder freshman.

"Ryoma, I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" Fuji placed his hand on the crying girls' shoulder and she jerked back almost violently "STOP!" She exclaimed with fear in her eyes, then she seemed to grow aware of her surroundings and blushed red and wiped away the tears from her eyes. She kept her eyes planted on the ground as she quickly walked past the stunned frozen regulars "I'm sorry" she whispered as she past Fuji. Effectively snapping him out of his daze as he processed what had just happened he turned around in the direction Ryoma had just gone in time to see her turn a corner as she ran away.

"…Ryoma" He whispered, for the first time in his life Fuji Syuusuke was completely confused as to what just happened.

**Authors' note**

Hope you liked my late Halloween special

**Thanks for all the reviews**

**Please rate and review**


	11. An audience with the Monkey King

**Happy chapter 11**

**Previously **

_"Not your mother?" Fuji said out of natural curiously and mentally berated himself for the kicked puppy look that flashed in Ryomas' eyes before she spoke._

_"She died in a car crash when I was 3" Ryoma said quietly and expertly held back her tears. All the memories that came along with this statement came back to her._

_After the funeral when her Father looked at her coldly for the first time._

_The first time he blamed her for her mothers' death. The first beating._

_The breaking point when she lost faith in everything and one and the day Ryoga apologised and hugged her, her father finding out …_

_Ryoma didn't notice the tears that streamed down her face._

_"Blood, everywhere" She whispered into her hands unconsciously. She had long since stopped swinging as had Fuji and all the regulars stood up around her looking incredibly worried about their wonder freshman._

_"Ryoma, I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" Fuji placed his hand on the crying girls' shoulder and she jerked back almost violently "STOP!" She exclaimed with fear in her eyes, then she seemed to grow aware of her surroundings and blushed red and wiped away the tears from her eyes. She kept her eyes planted on the ground as she quickly walked past the stunned frozen regulars "I'm sorry" she whispered as she past Fuji. Effectively snapping him out of his daze as he processed what had just happened he turned around in the direction Ryoma had just gone in time to see her turn a corner as she ran away._

_"…Ryoma" He whispered, for the first time in his life Fuji Syuusuke was completely confused as to what just happened._

**Currently**

Ryoma dug her nails into her bed sheets in a rather fruitless attempt not to be pulled away from the warmth by her Oyaji. Normally it wouldn't come to this but normally Ryoma wouldn't have 'made a fool of herself' in-front of a big group of people.

"C'mon gaki, it's time to go!" Nanjiro said through gritted teeth

_When did girls get strong?_ Nanjiro wondered to himself as Rinko came into the room with a sweet smile on her face as she dragged her husband out of their daughters' room by the collar of his monk outfit.

"Leave her be, what happened on Halloween is still really effecting her" Rinko whispered

"It's been three days, woman!" Nanjiro exclaimed

"Nanjiro Echizen don't you have any compassion? I mean she's your daughter!" Rinko reprimanded hime

"Che, it's fine. He's right, I should go to school" Ryoma emerged from her room fully dressed albeit with slightly dishevelled hair.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Rinko asked, cupping her daughters' face in her gentle hands and staring intently into her eyes.

"Yes" Ryoma said with determination in her eyes that had been lacking for days "I'm an Echizen now and Echizens don't run away" Ryoma smirked

"Damn straight!" Nanjiro cheered and Ryoma slipped downstairs while her mother was distracted chiding her Oyaji over using such language around their child. It was ice having Rinko home, since she was always away working.

"They're arguing again" Nanako giggled as Ryoma walked into the kitchen. Ryoma nodded as she took some oniguri from where her cousin was cooking.

"You're gonna be late for school" Nanako chided her young cousin gently, waiting for the explosion that usually came after such statements but instead all she got back was a quiet

"Oh"

"Ryoma, you can do this" Nanako said with a voice that showed all of the confidence she had in her little baby cousin.

"Yea, you're right" Ryoma agreed with empty cockiness. She felt sick to her stomach. She didn't want to deal with the awkwardness or the questions from the regulars.

_What if Horio knows? If he knows then everyone will know I broke down. That's what I did didn't I? I broke down, how pathetic_

"Bye Okaa-san, Nanako-san ,Baka Oyaji!" Ryoma called as she shut the door behind her and slumped her shoulders. It was a surprisingly warm day so she slid off her blazer and starte walking to school at a leisurely pace.

_Buchous already gonna give me 100 laps for being missing for three days, might as well be late_

As Ryoma was lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice she crashed into the man staring at her, then approach her

"Hey there cutie" He whispered icily into her ear.

Ryoma, turning quickly on her heel jabbed him in the stomach with her fist and then kneed him in the shoulder as he collapsed to the ground in pain.

"Haha Atobe buchou got beat up by a girl!" Squawked a bouncy red head that wasn't Eiji (how many of them are in this country?)

"Honestly, how very degrading" A bluenette pushed his classes up and looked down on his fallen captain. Ryoma tilted her head to the side, obviously confused.

"So is he a freaky stalker dude or what?" Ryoma asked curtly. Receiving a hearty laugh and an arm around her neck by the aforementioned red head.

"No, he is our sad excuse for a captain" The bluenette sighed.

"Uis" Agreed the man mountain beside him who had an orange haired boy sleeping (or dead) slung over his shoulder.

"He was trying to show us his _magnificent _skills at courting a lady" A brunette wearing a cap smirked.

"Ore-sama is not a sad excuse for anything Ore-sama is wonderful! And not a stalker" Atobe rose from the ground and defended himself.

_Weirdoes_ Ryoma thought

"Sorry I don't speak Japanese" Ryoma said in perfect English off handedlyand started walking away.

"But you were speaking Japanese just a minute ago!" Atobe complained after her whilst Oshitari smirked and Shishido snickered with Gakuto.

Ryoma didn't even turn around "You still have a ways to go" She called back once again in perfect English.

Atobe grumbled under his breathe which was most un-kingly as Oshitari was quick to remind him.

"Ore-sama commands you to shut the hell up Oshitari"

Upon reaching Seigaku, Ryoma had completely forgotten about the weird Atobe guy and his team. Taking a deep breath, she headed towards the tennis courts.

"O'chibi!" was the first noise she heard after the rhythmic sound of tennis balls hitting rackets of course. Against her better judgement, she tensed her body for impact. Her logical mind told her it would her more that way but her human side told her to make herself as small as possible.

The red head reached her faster than expected and only for them being the two best balanced members of the tennis team kept tem standing as the cat boy glomped the life out of his O'chibi. Others gathered around at the sound of the familiar nickname for the wonder rookie.

"Eiji, let go of her she can't breathe!" Oishi ever the mother hen fretted as Ryoma turned an all new shade of blue. Out of the corner of her blurred vision Ryoma thought she saw money switch hands.

_I was gone three days and they were already betting on whether or not I come back? Yaro_

Taking a lungful of air into her deprived lungs, Ryoma smiled the smallest smie "Thanks Oishi sempai" She breathed.

"Echizen" Ryoma stood up straight at her buchou voice.

"Hai buchou" Ryoma wondered briefly how many more laps she would get for disrupting practice.

"There's no point in you getting changed, there's not a lot of time left in practice. You can go to class or sit and watch practice. EVERYONE ELSE BACK TO PRACTISE OR IT'S 20 LAPS AROUND THE COURTS!" Tezuka said the last bit so loudly that both Ryoma and Eiji winced whilst Oishi backed away a bit. Everyone got back to practice and Ryoma decided to get to class early, surprise a few people. She could probably trust Horio to spread some ridiculous rumour about her spending the night in school. She then stopped dead in her tacks

_I forgot I take third year classes with Syuusuke and WAIT did I just think of Fuji sempai as Syuusuke? What the hell is wrong with me? Oh well _Ryoma shrugged as she headed up to her first class for a cat nap. It's not like he didn't already call her Ryo-chan.

**Authors note**

What d'ya think?

I'm doing this thing in all my stories when I want everyone who reads this from Ireland to review (the non-irish folk can review too) so

**Please rate and review :3**


	12. Of newcomers and challenges

**Happy chapter 12**

"Ryo-chan, it's bad to sleep in class" Fuji chuckled at his cute little should be kohai sleeping innocently at her desk. Well it would be more innocent if Fuji hadn't chosen to wait until the middle of class to wake her up.

"Ano, … We're in class aren't we?" Ryoma asked wearily. Not lifting her head from where it was snuggled into her folded arms on her desk.

"Yes" Fuji smile widened barely noticeably in amusement.

"Good to know" Ryoma yawned as she closed her eyes anew and returned to sleep.

_What happened to you?_ Fuji sighed inwardly. Thinking back to Halloween night at the park. _I can't believe I caused that, well I guess I wasn't the real cause but I was the one who brought up memories _

Fuji shook his head of his thoughts. He would not stop 'till he found out what had his Ryo-chan look so …. haunted.

"Echizen would you answer no19 please" The substitute teacher said, not looking from the board to the sleeping greenete . Everyone else did though and started snickering or whispering to whoever was closest that "_She's so dead" _only to get the response of

"_Who cares, she's so cute" _Sometimes the students hated the seating arrangements of girl boy girl boy.

"Echi-! Hey are you asleep?"

"I doubt she's gonna answer you sir" Fuji smiled serenely.

As if on cue, Ryoma lifted her head up from where it rested and yawned in a way that reminded Fuji of a lazy cat.

"WOULD YOU FALL ASLEEP IF I WEREN'T A SUB?" He fumed

There was a short pause before the class answered as a whole "Yes"

Releasing a sigh, Hiro-sensei (the teacher) said "Well, congrats sleeping beauty, you just earned the class homework I wasn't going to give them"

"Okay" Ryoma said monotonously, which seemed to frustrate the young teacher which in turn brought hollow amusement to certain sadistic tensai. But Fuji knew the painful truth that he couldn't possibly be completely happy if Ryoma wasn't. Not when he could see her suffering, even if she hid it well, it would always be there in the depths of her eyes and in the atmosphere. None of the regulars (and Inui) would just forget about Halloween. They needed to know what happened, and Ryoma would tell them or it would be 100 laps followed by a litre of Penal-tea while being glared down by Fuji. And if all the above fails they'd just ask her mom.

And you might have wondered where the bouncy red headed cat boy was for all of this? After all he is in Ryoma and Fujis' class. Well he was having a very interesting encounter.

"Listen do you know what class Ryoma Echizen is in or what?" The 21 year old asked Eiji testily

"Why should I tell you, nya?" Eiji demanded, standing akimbo "For all I know you're a creepy stalker!"

"I'm not a stalker!" The young man defended "Just tell me where she is!"

"Yadda, nya!"

"C'mon!" He pleaded

"Yadda!"

"I'm not a stalker!"

"Prove it, nya!"

"HOW DO I DO THAT?"

"Hmm…. DRINK A GLASS OF INUI JUICE!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT AND HOW DOES IT PROVE I'M NOT A STALKER?"

And so they argued on.

- At tennis practice after school-

Fuji was frustrated. Ryoma had purposely spent all break with the freshmen trio (Horio and the other two) even though Fuji knew for a fact that she found Horio too loud and that she really didn't try to remember the others names. It was just to avoid the regulars.

And now Tezuka had gone and gave her laps so the planned confrontation was delayed further.

Carefully keeping his serene smile in place, Fuji smashed the ball across the court with more force than necessary, effectively scaring Arai out of his wits. Arai cursed luck that he had been stuck with Fuji in his group for the ranking tournament. Only two from each group became a regular and Ryoma was in that group too, though he had been hoping that the prodigy would have stayed off school long enough to miss the ranking tournaments.

_Damn brat, and I thought I'd have a chance_

"Game and match to Fuji 6-0" Announced the second year in the referee chair with a mix of awe and fear in his voice.

"Saa, good game Arai" Fuji said with his fake smile plastering his face, he walked from the court without the standard shaking of hands. He missed the worried glance he got from his team mates that knew him well and the guilty look from Ryoma. She knew something was bothering him and she knew what it was.

"Next is the match between Fuji and Echizen!" Announced another second year.

Ryoma got up from where she was sitting with a ponta in her hands. She had a _You've got to be kidding me _look on her still slightly red face from the laps she had just run.

Fuji opened his eyes and looked deadly serious "Saa, Ryo-chan if I win you have to tell me about Halloween. If you win you can tell me if you want to but you won't have to" Ryoma who stood across the net ready to spin the racket, pouted "That's not fair _Syuu-chan"_ She put emphasis on the Syuu-chan and was clearly meant to be payback but just made _Syuu-chan _open his eyes in surprid=se and chortle to himself _You never fail to surprise me _

Meanwhile pretty much all the spectators were confused. Halloween? Ryo-chan? Syuu-chan?

"If I win" Continued Ryoma cockily "You have to surrender your title of tensai" Ryoma finished to series of gasps from the audience. Horio fainted.

"I accept your challenge" Fuji smirked

"Rough or smooth?" Ryoma asked.

"Rough"

"It was smooth" Ryoma smirked

"Saa, I see that"

Ryoma got ready for her twist serve and …

"CHIBISUKE!" Ryoma looked towards the familiar voice and dropped her racket as well as falling to her knees.

_Ryoga_

**Authors note **

Come and review and tell me what you think (c'mon ya know ya want to )


	13. Secrets told

**Happy chapter 13**

**Authors note**

'_**flashback'**_

_Thoughts _

**Previously **

Ryoma got ready for her twist serve and …

"CHIBISUKE!" Ryoma looked towards the familiar voice and dropped her racket as well as falling to her knees.

_Ryoga_

**Currently **

Fuji was across the net and by Ryomas' side in a heartbeat. "Ryoma, Ryoma …" Fuji didn't know what to do. He just hunched down next to Ryoma and placed his arm around her in a comforting. Meanwhile Ryoga himself raced down towards his baby sister.

' _**With a 'thump' the frail greenettes' fist connected with the hard wall of her bedroom. Golden eyes stared down at the floor or more specifically at the girl who was now coiled against the wall pitifully. **_

"_**Ryoma…" **__**He breathed, not sure if he could trust his voice to say any more any louder. The girl looked up at her brother. "Ryoga" The seven year old replied evenly, monotonously. Her eyes lacked the will to live.**_

"_**I'm so so sorry" Ryoga suddenly broke into tears as**__** he embraced his little sister. He had a hugely guilty look on his face. He had never hit Ryoma himself. He just watched silently. He stayed out of their fathers' way. Abandoning his own little sister in favour of saving himself. "So so sorry" Ryoma was sh**__**ocked to say the least. She just sat there with wide eyes and let her brother sob into her. **_

"_**What is going on here?" boomed the man standing in the doorway. Both siblings looked fearfully up at the man "Father" They both recognised the man.**_

"_**Ryoga, you're**__** the good kid! What the hell are you doing with that brat?" **_

"_**She's not a brat she's my sister, **__**your**__** daughter and what you're doing is sic-" His rant was cut short by a knife cutting into him. He gasped in pain.**_

"_**TRAITOR" There was a crazy look in their fa**__**thers eyes as crimson clouded Ryomas' vision. **_

_**She screamed. The blood curdling scream tore through the house as Ryogas' body hung limb on the end of the blade. Their father backed away slowly suddenly sobered by his recent actions and ran from the house with green tinting his usually rosy features.**_

_**Ryoma stood with shaky legs and ran as fast as her frail body could take her to where her brother lay motionless. Hovering above his face, she tilted his head back and listened for breathing. Not daring to take a breath herself, Ryoma listened intently.**_

_**And she heard It, faint but definite. Cold breath on her cheek.**_

_**Once again standing on her shaky legs Ryoma went to call an ambulance.'**_

"Chibisuke" Ryoga smiled fondly and golden eyes stared into golden eyes as Ryoma looked up at him.

"Ryoga-nee!" Wrapping her arms tightly around the neck of her brother she cried into the crook of his neck while he held her tightly "I missed you so much" Ryoga whispered into their embrace.

Everyone else just kind of stood there awkwardly. Even Fuji was at a loss of what to do and then his mouth took over "Ne, Ryo-chan who's this?" Eyes open, Fuji smiled serenely.

"NYA, HE'S THE STALKER FROM EARLIER!" Eiji accused pointing accursedly at Ryoga who separated from Ryoma slightly while Oishi tried to restrain his partner.

"Stalker?" Ryoma smirked though tears

"I tried to tell him I'm not a stalker but he wouldn't listen" Ryoga pouted.

"So who is he?" Fuji asked again slightly testily.

"Oh yea, this is Ryoga Echizen, my aniki" Ryoma said, wearing a big grin. Something seemed to stop her grin, something only she could see.

"Echizen…" Tezuka sighed

"Yes?" Answered the siblings in unison.

"Come to the clubroom now. We need to know everything about what happened on Halloween and your brother" He signalled to the other regulars "You lot come too. THE REST OF YOU GET BACK TO PRACTICE"

With that the group of tennis players headed towards the clubroom after Tezuka who had started walking the second he had stopped talking. Ryoma walked with a foreboding feeling.

-In the clubroom-

"Now Echizen, I think you owe us all an explanation" Tezuka said and Ryoma squirmed in her seat on the bench as she fought with herself _Should I tell them?_

"Why does she owe you anything?" Ryoga stood up, suddenly angry.

"You weren't there so you wouldn't know but something happened on Halloween

That made us all very worried for Ryo-chan and now she has a brother that popped out of nowhere I think we deserve an explanation, ne" Fuji stood too ad met Ryogas' glare with an icy blue one.

"RYO-CHAN? WHO SAID YOU COULD CALL HER THAT?" Ryoga

"None of your business" Fuji.

"Calm down, Ryoga they're right I let my guard down on Halloween and I need to explain my actions. Just like you need to explain where the hell you've been for the last 5 years" Ryoma said.

_Oh crap _Fuji thought _Now she's guilty _

"So what did happen, nya?" Eiji asked timidly. Ryoga held Ryomas' hand and squeezed it looking guiltily at his feet.

"It all started when I was three" Ryoma began and took a calming breath and looked around the group ;

Oishi looked worried, as a mother hen does

Tezuka looked stoic as ever except for the crease in his brow

Kawamura looked nevous

Momo looked for once in his life serious

As did Eiji

Inuis' notebook was nowhere in sight

Kaidos' facial expressions went sort of soft

Fuji had his eyes open and his fake smile was gone

_I trust you _Ryoma thought and continued on with her monologue "After my mother died in a car crash my father was … upset, no angry. I don't know how but apparently it was my fault" She said evenly, bitterness and pain held at bay for the moment as she held back tears "At first it was just glares and cold shoulders and some cruel words when he got drunk. Sometimes he'd '_forge_t' to feed me, so I'd do it myself" The regulars all looked quite shocked, didn't she say she was three when her mother died? They didn't like where this was going "He'd still feed Ryoga, of course. Things were quite calm back then" A few gasps _That's calm? _"Then he hit me. And he didn't stop. Whenever he could he'd hit me and kick me and- ouch Ryoga you're hurting me! Ryoga let go of his sisters' hand which he had been squeezing tighter with every word she spoke.

"I covered up my wounds and made Fathers' breakfast and left for school every morning. That was pretty much the daily routine. I'd get up, make breakfast, leave before they woke up and go play on the schools tennis courts. I'd always loved tennis. Father started teaching me when I was two, before the incident. I'd kept playing while I went to school. I stole from fathers' wallet to buy tennis equipment He didn't miss it since he mostly spent it getting himself drunk. After school, I would delay it as much as possible before going home and being beat again" Ryoma let her tears run down her porcelain cheeks. She tried her hardest to keep her voice monotonous throughout her speech but the images that flashed up with each syllable cut deeper into the scars that left gaping holes in her heart. The horror on the faces of her friends was clearly there but that's not what Ryoma saw

_I knew it, I'm pathetic, disgusting_

"And where were you doing through all this?" Fuji asked with ice in his voice. Being the tensai he was he assumed from all the evidence in front of him that Ryoga wasn't being abused.

"I was scared" Ryoga admitted quietly " I didn't want it to be me, I was selfish and let Ryoma take it all on and suffer in silence, I guess I thought that he'd stop. That he'd be the dad I used to know again" Ryoga looked at his feet, ashamed. He looked up in time to see a fist compact with his face.

Everyone gasped t the one who threw the punch.

**Authors note**

Yay I got 50 reviews, I had 49 and I was all like UNEVEN watching soul eater has really changed me….

Anyway **please rate and review **


	14. Anger and Guilt

**Happy**

**Chapter 14 **

Fuji grew more and more furious with each word of Ryogas' explanation.

_If it were Yuuta I wouldn't hesitate to lay down my life for him and Ryoga couldn't even take a few hits for Ryoma? Sickening _

Standing up Fuji curled his hand into an angry fist and held it in position to punch the greenette when someone beat him to it. Effectively making the tensai look like an idiot.

"Ryo-chan"

"Chibisuke" The tensai and greenette spoke at the same time in shock.

"There, now we're even" Ryoma said decisively still standing in punching stance.

Everyone was shocked for a fraction of a moment before Momo started laughing like the maniac he is and wrapped his arm around Ryoma, sealing her in a headlock "That's so like you!"

"You shouldn't hit your brother nya!" Eiji chided and glomped his O'chibi.

Oishi tried to peel Eiji off their wonder rookie as he noticed her face turning blue as Kaido hissed "Baka Peach head"

"Who are you calling baka, baka Mamushi" And so Momo released Ryoma to fight with his rival.

Taka started laughing gently at the scene around him. Relieved the tension had gone. Tezuka held his poker face but Fuji, if he had been looking his way he would have seen that Tezuka was still worried for the freshman.

But Fuji was not looking at Tezuka, no he was much too busy glaring daggers at Ryoga who remained on the floor though now was sporting a big grin.

-After school-

Ryoma started walking home before anyone could follow her. She was lost in thought, she had been all day but she hid it well. She doubted anyone knew except maybe Fuji sempai

_But he knows __everything__ so he hardly counts_

Ryoma smirked at her last thought it was kind of funny how he seemed to know everything, or rather it was funny how he reacted to notknowing something.

_But he seemed so angry before_Ryoma sighed inwardly

"What's wrong Ryo-chan?" Ryoma resisted the urge to jump out of her skin, preferring to glare at her Fuji sempai and hit him on the arm.

"Why were you so angry earlier?" Ryoma asked, not being one to beat around the bush. Fuji halted in his for a moment but then caught up with Ryoma again.

"You went through years of pain and suffering and he gets what a punch?"

"He wasn't the one who caused it"

"No but he just sat there and watched!" Ryoma was surprised by how angry the normally all smiley sempai had gotten

"Well he didn't actually get off that easy" Ryoma trailed off

"What did he go through then?" Fuji asked testily

"When I was seven, he apologised for not being there for me and because of that … Father stabbed him" Ryoma looked guilty again and Fuji bit his lip as if debating wih himself whether to forgive Ryoga or not.

"It was all my fault he got hurt"

_Definitely not _Fuji thought

**Authors note**

Sorry this one was a little short

Thanks for all the reviews so far

**Please rate and reviews ^W^**


	15. Of nicknames and invitations

**Happy **

**Chapter 15**

"Tezuka, what are we going to do?" A certain tensai asked one evening during practice.

"Aaa, Fuji about what?" The tennis buchou asked with a quirk of a brow.

"About Ryoga, of course" Fuji hissed with eyes open.

"Of course" Tezuka drawled as he watched the match between Echizen and Eiji. Echize n was obviously holding back, just to annoy her sempai it seemed. It worked spectacularly.

_Why is everyone on this team so th__eatrical? _Tezuka wondered and sighed inwardly

"I don't see the problem" Tezuka spoke honestly after what he knew was a long pause.

"He's the problem" Fuji hissed. Tezuka pondered for a fraction of a minute if the tensai might have been spending too much time with Kaido before snapping back into his buchou head.

"You're going to have to be more specific"

"He's distracting Ryoma!" Fuji claimed and pointed at the tennis courts where Eiji had just scored a point.

"She seems fine" Tezuka said, slightly surprised at his friend. If Echizen was actually distracted then she wouldn't be wearing her signature smirk. It was obvious she was just playing with her sempai.

"Distracted from you, you mean?" Tezuka stated. Fuji looked flabbergasted before regaining composure.

"Of course not! Look I'm just worried about the welfare of our team" Fuji said defensively

"One teammate in particular" Tezuka smirked a microscopic smirk.

"That's it, I'm talking to you!"Fuji announced in a very childish and un-Fuji-like way. Tezukas' smirk only grew and he had to reign it back in before anyone noticed.

_Everyone is acting different lately, including me. I blame Ryoma…. Echizen, I blame Echizen. I should find Fuji before he hides my pain killers._

"Game and match to Echizen 6 games to 3!" Announced the second year who was umpiring the match as the two players went to shake hands.

"Good game, Eji-sempai" Ryoma smiled up at her sempai who just thought she was too adorable not to hug. Even if she had just beaten him into the ground.

"Eiji! Let her go, she's turning blue!" Oishi fretted. Running across to his partner looking very much like a headless chicken.

"*Gasp* Thanks *Pant* Oishi-sempai *Pant*" Ryoma panted when the red-head let her go.

"O'chibi!"

"…Yes?"

"O.O"

"..WHAT?" Ryoma asked exasperated

"This is the first time you've responded to being called 'O'chibi'" Oishi explained and Eiji regained his glomp on the freshman who scowled.

"Saa, what is it you wanted to ask her anyway?" Fuji asked popping up out of no-where (as you do) with a cross looking Tezuka behind them.

"Errr I forget , nya!" Eiji smiled widely

"Che, Eiji-sempai is as reliable as ever" Ryoma said sarcastically.

"Thanks nya!" Eiji said, completely missing the sarcasm.

"As observant as ever too" Ryoma muttered under her breathe. Fuji chuckled.

"Oi chibisuke!" Ryoma looked up with the rest of the regulars to see Ryoga running towards them like a mad man.

Ryoma rolled her golden eyes and Fuji glared while Tezuka sighed and wished he knew where Fuji had hidden his pain killers.

"Yay it's O'chibis' aniki!" Eiji exclaimed and jumped up and down with childish glee. Ryoma sat on the ground where her sempai had dropped her in his excitement.

"Hey, neko-san, android-san, young-grampa-san, blue eyes, san, mother hen-san, snake-san, broom-head-san, sushi-san and Chibusuke!" Ryoga greeted and took in a huge breath as they all stared at him.

"*sigh*I'm assuming I'm young-grampa-san?" Tezuka said uncertainly as he massaged his temples.

Ryoga put his arm around Ryoma and playfully noogied her.

"Yep, oh and grampa-san if you keep pressing on your temples you could kill yourself" Ryoga smiled while Ryoma punched him on the head.

"Who's broom-head-san?" Momo asked, confused

"Baka Peach-head" Kaido hissed

"Who are you calling baka, baka mamushi?" And so another fight begins.

"Saa, Ryoga what is it that you wanted here?" Fuji asked in a too sweet to be true voice.

"Oyaji and Okaa-san said we could invite you guys over for" Dramatic pause "A SLEEPOVER!"

"… what?" All the regulars including Inui and Ryoma said at once.

"SLEEPOVER,YAY" Eiji jumped up excitedly

"Saa, that could be interesting" Fuji smiled

"I'll have to check with your parents before promising anything" Tezuka said looking thoughtful.(for him)

"I don't know if that'll be such a good idea" Oishi worried before getting smacked upside the head by his doubles partner and told politely to "Shut up, don't be a spoil sport, nya"

"JADDA" Ryoma said and they all turned to stare at her.

"What d'ya mean Jadda?" Ryoga asked with a pout.

"Yea Ryo-chan don't you like us" Fuji also pouted albeit faker than Ryogas'.

"WHAT? OCHIBI DOESN'T LIKE US?" Eiji exclaimed and started sobbing into Oishi who started petting him awkwardly.

"Jeez, Eiji-sempai I never said that" Ryoma rolled her eyes and Eijis' tears disappeared as soon as they came.

"So you don't hate us?" he asked hopefully.

"Che, as if I would hang around with people I don't like"

"… That just might be the nicest thing Ryo-chan has ever said to us, ne?" Fuji said and received a not so threatening glare from Ryoma.

"So I suppose with all that done…" Tezuka started already taking out his cell phone to call the Echizens

"WE GET TO GO TO OCHIBIS' HOUSE" Eiji bounced in place and Ryoma shrank in resignation.

**Authors note**

Please r &r ^w^


	16. The sleepover

**Happy **

**Chapter 16 The sleepover **

Ryoma banged her head off the table in her unfortunately and undeniably _pink_ bedroom as all her sempai-tachi gave themselves a tour. They had already ransacked the rest of the house out of curiosity. She lifted her head slightly only to let it drop again when she noticed Eiji and Momo squeezing into her bed and trying to coax Oishi in to see how many it would fit. Apparently they hadn't seen a King Size Bed before.

Fuji chuckled "You sure like pink, Ryo-chan" He barely heard the muffled "Shut up" as another fight seemed to have erupted between Kaido and Momo.

"YOU TALKIN TO ME, MAMUSHI?" Momo grabbed Kaidos' collar

"WHO ELSE BAKA PEACHHEAD!" Kaido grabbed Momos' collar

"WELL I'M GONNA-" Whatever Momo was going to threaten was cut short by Ryoma getting up and promptly karate chopped them fiercely on five of their pressure points whilst yelling "SHUT UP"

"I think maybe you should calm down O'chibi" Eiji suggested from where he was hiding behind Oishi.

"No, you need to calm down Eiji sempai and behave yourself before I decide that I actually do hate you (see last chapter) and that I don't want you screwing up my house any longer, K?" Ryoma bit back, voice calm and dripping with venom.

"K!" They all replied at once sans Tezuka and Ryoga. Even Fuji was slightly scared but his Goosebumps went unnoticed.

"Fine, I'll go get some drinks then, you all like Ponta?" Ryoma sighed and everyone laughed –even Tezuka smiled a bit- of course Ryoma only had Ponta.

As Ryoma made her way to the door she paused by Fuji and spoke barely audibly "The great tensai scared of a girl?" Fujis' eyes snapped open and Ryoma smirked and went to go get the drinks.

"What did she say?" Ryoga asked with a confused crease in his brow, Fuji jused closed his eyes and chuckled.

**^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ ^w^ **

Ryoma returned with two 24 can packs of Ponta under her arms. She dropped them on the bed and let out a sigh.

They all quirked a brow "Chibuske, do we really need 46 cans?" Ryoga asked

"48 Baka aniki, and if we're gonna have a sleepover might as well have some games." Ryoma smiled mischievously and slid onto the floor placing a few can in the middle of the floor "So girls, who wants to play?" She challenged

Momo and Kaido were first to sit, they would simply not going to ignore the challenge or the fact that she called them _girls_ the ultimate insult.

Eiji was next to sit, wanting to play whatever game that O'chibi was excited to play Oishi sat because Eiji did.

Fuji and Ryoga sat down next, mainly cuz Ryoma suggested it.

Tezuka also sat, purely because he saw no point in standing any longer.

Taka sat down, so he wasn't the only one not playing. Inui chose to simply observe, that is until Ryoma threw a can at told him and told to "Sit the hell down… sempai"

"Okay, now that we have gathered around the cans, what now Ryo-chan?" Fuji asked

"How 'bout a game of I never" Ryoma suggested, putting the last of the cans into the centre of the circle with a devious, challenging smirk marring her face beautifully.

"I never?" Eiji asked, obviously confused.

"It's a drinking game where a group of people sit in a circle or around a table. Each person will say a phrase starting with "I never". Anyone who has done this act must drink. The innocent people do not have to drink. For example, if I said "I've never eaten a rabbit£ anyone who has eaten a rabbit drinks. This continue until there is only one person left not completely drunk" Inui explained

"Correct" Ryoma chimes "Only we aren't using alcohol so it'll just be until only one of doesn't go to the bathroom. All in?"

"Yeah, I'll play" Momo says, determined and everyone else nods in agreement.

"Saa, I'll go first" Fuji smiles "I've never liked cats"

Ryoma and Kaido both glare at Fuji (Ryoma holding Karupin to her chest protectively) and each took a can from the pile and take a swig. Eiji and Oishi each take a can as well and did the same.

Momo speaks "I've never worn a skirt" He smirks evily at Ryoma who glared at him and downed the rest of her first can.

Funnily enough so did Fuji "Saa, it was fun"

"Okay, I'm officially weirded out. I've never … been a guy" Ryoma smirked and everyone else drank theres. Eiji, Ryoga and Momo complained of the unfairness and Fuji complimented her cleverness.

"I've never played this game before" Tezuka said evenly and Ryoma, Fuji, Ryoga, Momo and Taka all drank.

"… I've never slept over at a girls house before" Taka said nervously. Everyone takes a drink

"Wow, I thought you would have slept over at some ones house Echizen" Momo says.

"Nah, she's an anti-social" Nanjiro grins, sticking his head in the door.

"Budding psychopath, I'm under 18" Ryoma says, not a bit bothered by the insult "Whyu are you here Oyaji?"

"I'm here to lug all the sleeping bags in here"

"Well then, you do that" Ryoma says and Nanjiro grumbles to himself while he places sleeping bags around the spacious room.

"Fshhhhhhhh I've never been to America" Kaido hisses

Ryoma, Tezuka and Fuji all drank from their cans.

"I've never kissed a girl" Ryoma says and looks around to see almost everyone blushing, only Fuji, Oishi, Ryoga and surprisingly Taka drank from their cans.

"I've never kissed a boy!" Momo yells back to cover his embarrassment, no one drank this time and Ryoma didn't even look embarrassed.

"I've never hurt someone with tennis" Tezuka interjected stoicly.

Ryoma drank from her fourth can "Sexist pigs" She muttered under her breath in memory of all the victims of her twist serve.

Noticing no one else drinking Ryoma felt the need to defend herself in the best way possible. Offense. "Momo sempai you practically broke my wrist with your dunk smash the other day!"

"Sorry, that was an accident" Momo says and rubs the back of his head.

Ryoma just sat back and grumbled to herself.

"I've never failed a test" Fuji smiled serenely and everyone but Ryoma and Tezuka drink.

**The rest of the night progressed like this**

Ryoma was first to give, accusing them all on ganging up on her.

Momo was next followed closely by Kaido then Eiji then Inui then Oishi until it was only Tezuka and Taka.

"I've never consumed any alcoholic drinks" Tezuka says stoically and Taka drinks, blushing shamefully as he remembers his father giving him some for becoming a regular.

"I er I've never been the captain of a tennis team" Tezuka quirks a brow but drinks nonetheless.

"I've never prepared sushi" Tezuka responds and Taka drinks

"I've n-never painted on canvas" Taka stutters out

"Nor have I" Tezuka replies. A ghost of a smile dancing on his lips.

"I've never-" but that's all he got out before Taka bounces up

"I GIVE UP!" He screams and rushes off to the bathroom.

"That was… explosive, ne Echizen?" Momo laughs. Turning when he doesn't get a reply he has to resist awhing at the sight of Ryoma asleep curled up in her bed. He noticed that Eiji and Oishi and secretly Kaido were already fawning over her.

"I think Ryo chans' got the right idea, we should all go to sleep" Fuji says and jumps into thee sleeping bag nearest to Ryomas' bed. Ryoga scowls at this but decides to go off to his own room to sleep.

It doesn't take long for them all to go to sleep and turn the lights out. Nanjiro peeps his head in the door a bit later and smiles at them all sleeping soundly.

_I guess Ryoma feels save enough not to have nightmares around them_ he thinks before shutting the door quietly and going downstairs.

When Ryoma hears the doors close she opens her eyes and looks around at everyone's sleeping faces before closing her eyes and pretending to sleep again.

_I can't let them see me have nightmares_

Ryoma eventually falls victim to tiredness with this thought.

**Authors' note**

It has come to my attention that in the last chapter I said "Jadda" instead of "Yadda" an I would like to blame my German teacher for teaching me that J's are pronounced as Ys in German. So sorry for that

Sorry for the late update, I've been really busy lately

**Please rate and review **


	17. The morning after

**Happy **

**Chapter 17**

**The morning after **

'_dreams'_

_Thoughts _

_**English and other languages **_

Normal speech

' _Ryoma sat with empty eyes in the ER waiting room. The bland walls of yellow were probably meant to be calming "maybe it works for patients" she thought, the colour of the walls actually proved a good distraction at the moment. All the times she'd been beaten and wished she was anywhere but there flashed through her head and she thought bitterly of how wrong she was. Making that call to the emergency services had done what she had avoided doing for years. It had brought attention to herself and her Father and her brother. "The brother that got stabbed because of me" Ryoma frowned at the cast covering her left arm and at the bandages mummifying her, she frowned at the shrink sitting two chairs down from her, a comfortable distance. She had already questioned her and made her reveal all of her ghastly wounds and scars and hugged her and told her it would all be okay now, over and over again. Ryoga still wasn't out of surgery. _

"_Hello I'm Misa Marimura from adoption agency" Smiled a women at the shrink Ryoma turns to look at her before returning her gaze on the faded yellow wall in front of her._

"_Ryoma? Hi I'm Misa Marimura, I'm going to make sure you and your brother are save and happy in your new home" _

"_If he survives" Ryoma stares into Misas' eyes and sees the pity and compassion "Have you found him yet?" _

"_Your father? No not yet but don't worry he can't hurt you anymore"_

"_No… but every second he spends out there is another second he could be hurting someone else, I know what a psychotic break looks like –I've read about them- She told me that everything is okay now but I don't think she understands the difference between everything being ok and me being ok. I don't even think I am okay" _

"_You're a very smart girl aren't you Ryoma?" Misa asked _

"_I'm strong, mentally not physically. That's why I'm still alive or maybe because I'__m still alive __but I've __been broken a long time and I don't think I can handle much more, if Ryoga dies I don't know… I just don't know" Ryoma was vaguely aware of the tears streaming down her face as she looked hopefully into Misas' chocolate brown eyes. She didn't just want someone to tell her everything was going to be okay, she wanted to believe. But Misa just pulled her into a hug let Ryoma cry into her shoulder and ruin her yellow sun dress that was probably meant to make people happier. "__You're__ going to be okay" She said "Because you're strong" And Ryoma thought that she might try to believe her" _

"Ryoma!" Fuji whispered desperately for the fifth time, shaking the frail girls shoulder to wake her from her tear-filled stupor. Ryoma opened her eyes on the eight hushed call of her name "… Fuji-sempai?" She blinked before sitting up and wiping her tears Fuji shushed her and gestured to the room of sleeping tennis players.

_It must be pretty early if buchou isn't up yet _Ryoma thought and got up gracefully and made her way across the floor with just as much grace before gesturing for Fuji to come with her and exiting the door soundlessly.

_How many times has she done this? _Fuji wondered, following her not nearly as soundlessly. Thankfully Momo and Kaidos' snores covered the sound of his not so heavy footsteps. He still moved with caution and winced when the door squeaked before making his way downstairs slowly. When he got downstairs he found Ryoma in the kitchen pouring milk into two mugs and adding some chocolate powder, she put one of them in the microwave and turned back to Fuji "Did I wake you?" She asked

"Yeah, but it's okay" Fuji whispered back, Ryoma gave him a half smile

"Don't worry we don't have to whisper, they can't hear us if we just speak normally"

"Saa, I see" Fuji said with a smile as Ryoma takes the mug out of the microwave, adds more milk and slides it across the kitchen counter to Fuji who picked it up and drank it in small sips. "How long?" Fuji asked over the rim of his cup faking non-chalance

"A while… since I came to Japan. It was in Japan that everything happened" Ryoma explained, taking her cup out of the microwave and adding milk before drinking it, mainly so that she wouldn't have to look at Fuji

"No wonder you didn't want us sleeping over" Fuji put his mug down

Ryoma chuckled "Nightmares or not, I wasn't too thrilled to have those bunch of toddler teens in my home"

"What about me?"

"Hmmm, we'll see" Ryoma replied and grabbed Fujis' cup and put it in the sink with her own as she heard everyone coming down the stairs. She then bent down and retrieved cereal boxes from the cupboard, placing them on the counter with bowls and spoons.

Everyone grabbed the cereal of their choice –Kaido and Momo fighting over the American Frosties while Eiji took the box and poured his own cereal- and dug in. No one questioned Fuji and Ryoma being down stairs together before they woke, except from the raised brow from Tezuka when Fuji caught his eye.

After breakfast they all decided to go out. Their first destination had of course been the ice cream parlour in the park, it was near the street courts too.

Ryoma was licking her double scoop chocolate ice cream, completely absorbed in the dairyness of it all when she crashed into a wall.

"Ow!" She yelped as she fell to ground and then looked up to see that yet again it was not a wall she crashed into –see chapter 7- but a person. A very angry looking person.

"WOW really sorry!" Ryoma jumped up, noticing her ice-cream splotched on his shirt. "Wait do I know you?"

"…Atobe?" Momo gaped at the Hyotei captain who was studying Ryoma intently wondering where he had known her from.

"Ore-sama demands to know where we have met before commoner!" And then it clicks

"You're that guy that tried to hit on me!" Ryoma pointed in his face, she smiled happily that she remembered and Atobe blushed as he remembered. Momo, Eiji and Kaido all laughed at Atobes' expense, Tezuka raised a brow and Fuji and Ryoga glared protectively. Taka blushed at the awkwardness, Oishi tried to get Momo, Eiji and Kaido to stop laughing and Inui wrote frantically into his notebook saying "Iie Data"

"What exactly happened?" asked Tezuka, already feeling a headache coming on

"Well" Ryoma started only to be cut off by Atobe

"It's not important"

"Remember how I didn't come into school for three days after Halloween?" Ryoma continued, completely ignoring Atobe, and the rest of his team mates as they came to see what was keeping their captain.

"Well on my way into school on the day I came back, I bumped into the monkey king" She indicated to Atobe "And he said "Hey there cutie" so I jabbed him in the stomach and kneed his shoulder as he fell to the ground"

"Nice man voice, nya" Eiji snickered as Atobe yelled at his team for laughing. Even those that were there laughed.

"So basically, you beat up the captain of a rival tennis team because he flirted with you?" Tezuka summed up.

"I thought he was a creepy stalker like Inui sempai!" Ryoma defended "No offence Inui-sempai"

"None taken. Iie data Atobe is stalker"

"DON'T WRITE THAT ORE-SAMA IS NOT A STALKER wait a second Tezuka said I was her rival so… YOU HAVE A GIRL ON YOU TENNIS TEAM?" Atobe exploded

"Aaa" Tezuka said stoically

"Yep, I'm just that good" Ryoma smirked "Ne, Monkey king go get me another ice cream"

"Ore-sama is NOT a monkey king. And why should Ore-sama get you an ice cream?"

"Cuz I gave you mine" Ryoma smirked gesturing to the chocolate mess melting on Atobes' shirt

"You bumped into Ore-sama and got ice cream on Ore-samas' favourite sports shirt!"

"It's not my fault you don't know how to accept gifts" Ryoma defended and both Hyotei and Seigaku sweat dropped as the two continued to argue.

When it was time to leave Ryoma smirked back at Atobe who had bought her the ice cream and yelled _**"You still have a long way to go!" **_in perfect English.

**Authors note**

Please r & r

I'm planning the 1st actual tennis match next tell me who you want them to play !


	18. Fudomine

**Happy **

**Chapter 18 **

Ryoma geared herself up for their first matches, she didn't expect much but the swirling in her stomach begged to differ. Something big was coming, she could feel it.

"Oi O'chibi! You're late!" Eiji called loudly as their girl wonder joined them, Ryuzaki sensei looked particularly peeved "We had to get Horio to fill in for you! nya"

Ryoma blinked and looked down at the Seigaku tennis skirt and wife-beater combo she had been forced to wear "How exactly did that work?"

"Saa, I thought Tomoko or Sakuno would have been better choices but sadly Tomoko was too loud and Sakuno blushed red and fainted from all the attention" Fuji explained

Ryoma burst out laughing "Where is he? I've got to see this"

"No, you've got to go play your first match" Tezuka ordered as he saw Kaido and Momo returning from their doubles match.

"Hai, hai Buchou" Ryoma nodded and put on her cap.

Walking onto the court, Ryoma soon found herself the victim of maniacal laughter and stares from the guy spectators.

"I was told that Seigaku had a girl playing but I never expected you to be so tiny!" Laughed her faceless opponent and Ryoma twitched.

"Rough or smooth?" She asked, agitated .

"Smooth, darling"

The racquet spun and landed on smooth "Heh, it's smooth"

"I see that" Ryoma said and picked up her racquet and got into position to receive her opponents' serve.

"Hey sweetheart, what do you think about going out with me when this is over?" The idiot flirted

Ryoma laughed coldly sending shivers through him "How about if you win, I'll go out with you and if I win you give me 100000Y?"

"Deal" He didn't hesitate to answer and Ryoma smiled a demon smile (she's simply one hell of a tennis player ^w^)

"Is she even allowed to do that?" Momo asked

"Aaa, the tennis team could use 100000Y" The stoic captain replied and the rest of the team stared at the captain "Unless you all want to do a fund raiser" The team (sans Fuji) all shuddered at the memory of last years' fund raiser

"Saa, but last year was so fun" Fuji pouted and the rest of the team glared at him

_Fun for you! _They all thought.

They were brought from their musings by the sound of a tennis ball connecting with the tennis court, they all looked up to see a shocked idiot on his knees and a smug Ryoma standing, waiting for the next serve

"Eh 1-0 to Echizen" The umpire called

"You know…" Ryoma spoke silkily to the boy still on his knees in shock "We could just stop now, if you forfeit, or maybe if you beg I'll go easy on you"

"I FORFEIT!" The boy screamed and jumped up from his knees and ran across the court to his team. Ryoma barely heard the umpire announce her victory as she raced across the court after him. "My Money" She held out her hand expectantly.

"EH? I don't have that much money!" Exclaimed the fool as he clinged to his captain, Ryoma narrowed her golden eyes.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep" She spoke icily, "Hmm … how can you make it up to me?" Everyone held their breath as the freshman thought.

"Ooh I know, you have to buy everyone on my team an ice-cream of our choice and you can't have any, you just have to sit and watch us eat our ice-creams" Ryoma smiled, happy she came up with a suitable punishment.

"That punishment is cruel and unusual" Complained the whimpering loser.

"I want chocolate nya!" Eiji exclaimed happily.

"Echizen come back it's time for Fuji to play!" Tezuka shouted and Ryoma shouted "Hai buchou!" She then looked back at the mess (guy) she had beat "See you after my team kicks your teams ass" She smiled and ran back to where the rest of her team were waiting.

Distracted, the member of the other team didn't notice Fuji step onto the court

"Saa, let's make this quick" Fuji smiled and slid open his dangerous blue eyes.

**Time skip**

**After they've beaten all the useless teams**

Ryoma sat on a bench while the rest of her team talked about the school they were about to play.

"They're unseeded but not to be taken lightly!" Ryuuzaki said sharply eying the team

"They were disqualified last year for violent acts! nya" Eiji whined and Oishi's brow creased, he had heard the same thing.

"DON'T WORRY YOU'LL BEAT THEM BY A LANDSLIDE!" Horio said oblivious to the stop talking signs from Kachiro and Katsuo.

"Hello" Came the smooth voice of Tachibanna Kippei.

"Hn" Tezuka replied, ignoring Horio who had collapsed out of fright.

"Saa if isn't Fudomine" Fuji waved and smiled while Kamio "che"'d and Shinji bounced a ball against the side of his racket, ignoring them all.

"We're playing you next right?" Fuji continued

"You're captain Tezuka right?" Tachibanna asked Tezuka, completely ignoring Fuji

"Aaa" Tezuka replied

"Let's have a good match"

"Hn" Tezuka replied and shook hands with Tachibanna, the freshman were ogling over Shinji's awesome bouncing when a second sound came, they looked over to see Ryoma doing the same as Shinji only drinking Ponta at the same time.

Tezuka sighed while Inui speculated that she was probably releasing stress.

"Let's go!" Tachibanna ordered and Fudomine followed without complaint.

"Don't let your guard down, Fuji Taka you two are first!" Tezuka ordered and the aforementioned pair smiled. Fuji happily and Taka sheepishly.

"Ehh I don't know if I can do this…" Taka said as he arrived on the court

"Taka-san you forgot your racket"

"Ahh thanks Fujiko… BURNING LET'S GET THEM BABY!" Taka exclaimed scaring the spectators just a bit.

**After the match**

Fuji took Taka to the hospital "Sorry guys" Taka apologised as they left.

"We're still gonna win, sempai" Ryoma promised with what others had often mistaken as a cocky glint in her eyes. But Seigaku knew it was determination and Taka felt slightly better.

"Eiji, Oishi it's your turn" Tezuka said with a stern look.

_This team is tough_Tezuka thought _forcing Fuji and Taka to forfeit proves it _

Eiji and Oishi won their match making it one win and one loss.

"Kaido singles one" Tezuka said and Kaido nodded tersely and walked onto the rain wet court.

Halfway through Kaido was losing

"I'm in the rhythm!" Kamio shouted

"I get it!" Kaido yelled back, this was about when Ryoma's phone went off

"_I AM A SUPERSTAR _

_WITH A BIG BIG HOUSE AND A BIG BIG CAR_

_I AM A SUPERSTAR _

_AND I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE" _

Everyone stared at Ryoma as she fumbled around for her phone, while this happened the unthinkable happened, Kamio the speed star tripped over his own feet.

"I think I threw off his rhythm" Ryoma said impassively without looking up "Moshi moshi" She answered the phone, walking away talking into the phone saying something about a "Baka Oyaji"

And then the match continued, Kaido won the game 7-5 and made a new move dubbed "Boomerang Snake shot"

Everyone from Seigaku cheered as Ryoma stepped onto the court, ignoring the whispers of

"Mercy match" and "I hope he goes easy on 'er" From the crowd.

Ryoma laughed and dribbled the ball then started with a twist serve.

_That shut them up _Ryoma thought with a smirk

"Hey ref. aren't you gonna call it?" She asked and got ready to serve again.

The rest of the match went well for Ryoma until…

_My arm, it froze _Ryoma thought, staring at her hand, trying to think of a reason for that to happen.

"You're not winning that easy" Shinji muttered and Ryoma readied herself.

Time after time, Ryoma missed easy shots because of her momentarily frozen arm.

The crowd gasped as Ryoma turned her body in an attempt to hit the ball.

_It won't work _thought Shinji _My "Spot" makes you lose your grip as well_

Everyone's eyes widened as the racket flew into the post and rebounded into Ryoma's left eye, she fell to the floor.

"Blood… Everywhere" She muttered with a horrified, distant look on her face.

**Authors note**

Hey sorry for the latish update,

Btw I realised that for chap 17 I got 71 reviews which is frickin awesome cuz I'm a very superstitious girl ^w^ so thank you everyone that reviewed

**Btw sorry to EmeraldRain25 for not pitting them against Rikkai dai but I thought that it was a bit early for them to face such awesome opponents ya know?**


	19. Fudomine part two

**Happy**

**Chapter 19**

_**Previously **_

_**My arm, it froze**__Ryoma thought, staring at her hand, trying to think of a reason for that to happen._

_"You're not winning that easy" Shinji muttered and Ryoma readied herself._

_Time after time, Ryoma missed easy shots because of her momentarily frozen arm._

_The crowd gasped as Ryoma turned her body in an attempt to hit the ball._

_It won't work __thought Shinji __My "Spot" makes you lose your grip as well_

_Everyone's eyes widened as the racket flew into the post and rebounded into Ryoma's left eye, she fell to the floor._

_"Blood… Everywhere" She muttered with a horrified, distant look on her face._

_**Currently **_

Fuji was the first to react, blue eyes snapping open he utilised his training to run out onto the court before Ryuuzaki sensei or anyone else from that manner could stop him.

"Ryoma!" He shouted in uncharacteristic panic and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder

"NO!" She screamed piercingly and Fuji's expression hollowed "PLEASE DON'T HIT ME!" She continued and anguished tears rolled down her face

Shinji started mumbling softly to himself with shock evident on his face

"What's happening? A minute ago that brat from Seigaku was just fine and she's screaming at the top of her lungs… I wonder if this is normal for them, and what's with Fuji I thought that he was meant to always smile, he's not smiling now… I wonder if my spot caused this, nah she shouldn't have spun around…"

Meanwhile Ryuuzaki ran out on to the court and looked straight into Ryoma's golden undamaged eye, she could tell that Ryoma was far away where none of them could reach her, she just kept chanting in a mantra "No no no no no…"

"Ryoma!" Ryuuzaki shouted loudly and clearly, not daring to touch the trembling girl

Ryoga pushed her aside gently with a regretful look on his face "Nanjiro and Rinko said there is only one way to snap her out of it" taking a deep breath, Ryoga put himself directly in front of Ryoma and hugged her tightly.

Ryoma screamed piercingly for an entire ten seconds while Ryoga soothingly rubbed her back and told her she'd be okay, the screaming stopped and Ryoma pulled back, a look of realisation, quickly succeeded by embarrassment on her tear stained face.

"S-sorry" she whispered hoarsely

"It's fine Ryoma" Ryuzaki sensei said, looking incredibly relieved to have Ryoma back "We'll forfeit!" She said louder and Ryoma looked up sharply

"What?" Ryoma exclaimed "I can play!"

"Have you forgotten a few seconds ago?" Ryuuzaki exclaimed "Not to mention you're still bleeding!"

Ryoma wiped her eye with her jersey "It's stopped" She glared and Ryuuzaki sensei sighed wearily

"Stopped bleeding my ass" She said and gestured for the first aid kit. Within seconds the wound had actually stopped bleeding

"Awesome" Ryoma drawled in awe and patted the patch over her eye

"It should hold for about 15 minutes" Ryuuzaki sensei warned

"You have 10" Tezuka ordered "Win in that or you forfeit" Ryoma nodded tersely and grabbed an extra racquet from her bag , as she was about to walk back onto the court, Fuji grabbed her wrist with open eyes "You don't have to do this" Ryoma glared up at him

"I know" Fuji nodded reluctantly and then his smile returned in place  
>"Good luck then" Ryoma rolled her eyes<p>

"Don't need it, I've figured out his technique" She smirked

"I'm not gonna go easy on you just cuz you have issues" Shinji warned and to the side Tachibanna face palmed

"Che, whatever mumbles" Ryoma scoffed and Momo, Eiji and Kamio erupted into snicker while Shinji wondered under his breath what she was talking about.

Ryoma held her racquet out in front of her "You sure like your top-spins and slices, ne?"

Shinjis' eyes widened "I don't like them so much" Ryoma smirked and got ready to serve

_You're going down _she thought and ignored the memories that tried to resurface and sent a twist serve his way and began another rally.

**Authors note **

Sorry for the wait, School is ruining my career

Of course my recent obsession with the BBC Sherlock has something to do with it…

**Please r & r**


	20. 10 minutes

**Happy **

**chapter 20**

_**Previously **_

"_You have 10" Tezuka ordered "Win in that or you forfeit" Ryoma nodded tersely and grabbed an extra racquet from her bag , as she was about to walk back __onto the court, Fuji grabbed her wrist with open eyes "You don't have to do this" Ryoma glared up at him_

_"I know" Fuji nodded reluctantly and then his smile returned in place  
>"Good luck then" Ryoma rolled her eyes<em>

_"Don't need it, I've figured out his technique" She smirked_

_"I'm not gonna go easy on you just cuz you have issues" Shinji warned and to the side Tachibanna face palmed_

_"Che, whatever mumbles" Ryoma scoffed and Momo, Eiji and Kamio erupted into snicker while Shinji wondered under his breath what she was talking about._

_Ryoma held her racquet out in front of her "You sure like your top-spins and slices, ne?"_

_Shinjis' eyes widened "I don't like them so much" Ryoma smirked and got ready to serve_

_You're going down __she thought and ignored the memories th__at tried to resurface and sent a twist serve his way and began another rally._

_**Currently**_

Ryoma hit the ball back to Shinji with the force and speed of harsh winds and smirked

"Ne, Mumbles, your technique has two weak points"

The audience gasped as Ryoma switched hands and scored a point.

"Yes, that's it!" Inui said "Using the one footed split step, she can react to where the ball is going in time to switch hands!"

"I'll just numb both your arms" Shinji said but soon realised he couldn't hit the spot.

"I told you I don't like topspins"

"Have you ever played a player with Nitoryuu?" Ryoma smirked and scored the last point and smirked "Ne, buchou did I make it?" She asked and Tezuka couldn't help but smile ever so slightly as he nodded, Ryoma sighed in relief. Oishi fussed and rushed her off to the hospital complaining that the bandage hadn't even lasted 10 minutes never mind 15.

"So, we won" Taka grinned along with everyone else and if it looked a bit creepy no one cared.

"So… to Kawamura sushi?" Taka asked nervously, not sure if they'd want to come, but by the loud cheer he supposed they did.

"WOW Echizen that was awesome! Except that part where ya kinda freaked out, d'ya think Inoue san will write about in ProTennis weekly?" Horio said (shouted) in the very annoyed looking face of Echizen Ryoma spitting some of his sushi on her.

Smiling, Ryoma shoved some wasabi in Horio's large mouth and watched with no little satisfaction as he freaked out before fainting.

Everyone shuddered as Ryoma and Fuji high fived each other

_They're both sadists!_ They all thought and Tezuka sighed.

"Hey Ryo-chan, why'd you swing your body earlier?" Fuji asked

"Trial and error" Ryoma stated simply before sticking some sushi in her mouth, they all waited with bated breath as they realised she had eaten wasabi sushi.

"Hmmm… this really isn't that bad" She shrugged. They all gasped (sans Tezuka, Inui and Fuji) and secretly vowed to try and separate Ryoma from Fuji for a while.

"Wow, chibisuke, you sure have weird taste" Ryoga laughed

"Ya, you must be insane!" Momo shouted and Eiji nodded

"Maybe you're the insane ones" Fuji said and Ryoma made an agreeing sound

"A sane person, to an insane society, must appear insane" Ryoma quoted which set Fuji off into excited chatter, and soon the two had completely forgotten the rest of them were there.

"Fuji and Echizen sitting in a tree…." Eji and Momo started singing and suddenly they were staring into dangerous gold and lightening blue

"Care to finish that… _sempai-tachi?_" Ryoma glared and Momo and Eiji gulped

"It would seem not, Ryo-chan" Fuji smiled.

"Ryoma let's get a picture together!" Shiba said energetically "It's great that a girl can kick guys asses in tennis" She laughed and Inoue sent her a warning glare while Ryoma said

"Aa" unenergetically.

Just as the camera was about to click, Momo (who was in an epic sushi fight with Eiji) was knocked backwards and pushed Horio onto Ryomas' shoulder, effectively shoving Shiba out of the frame.

Fuji silently vowed to get a picture with his Ryo-chan too… right after he kills Horio.

****

Fuji chuckled at the sight before him and gently nudged the others and put a delicate finger to his mouth in a shush motion and pointed to where Ryoma lay curled up like a cat asleep on one of the mats, they all awed at the sight and Fuji took a few pictures before Eiji and Momo shared an evil look and took out their sharpies…

****

"Taidaima" Ryoma called and took off her shoes and tennis bag as she closed the door behind her.

"Did you have fun at the match today?" Nanjiro asked.

"Aa" Ryoma answered passively "I won but I got injured but it should heal soon enough" She continued, carefully leaving out her flashback

She turned to face Nanjiro who then laughed boisterously Touching gingerly at her eye patch she felt the cool, wet felt of marker and saw it smeared on her fingers.

Sighing she rolled her eyes " Commemoration of winning" She said simply and went up to her room to have a shower, try to wash the sweat and bad memories off herself.

_At least I can get rid of the sweat _Ryoma thought solemnly.

**Authors note **

Sorry for the wait ^w^

Review…. Please?


	21. Be awed by my chapter

**Happy**

**Chapter 21**

It was a regular day of evening practise at Seigaku; Inuis' victims screaming, Tezuka's victims collapsing and Fujis wishing they'd never been born. All in all it was a normal day, sans the golden eyed, Emerald/ Onyx haired boy standing off to the side of the court watching like a hawk.

"Baka aniki" Ryoma muttered under her breath.

"You're starting to sound like Shinji" Momo laughed and emptied his water bottle over his head.

"Oh no! If O'chibi-chan turns into Shinji then she won't be cute and cuddly anymore, nya!" Eiji whined and glomped the freshman who then punched him upside the head.

"I'm not cute" She glared up at Eiji with her arms crossed, and they couldn't help but "awwh" at the disgruntled kitten look.

"Hello commoners, Ore-sama has graced you with his wonderful presence, be awed by his generosity, ahn" drawled out a narcissistic voice. Ryoma was the first to snap out of the shock of his "glorious presence" to shout "Go home, Monkey King!"

"Echizen! 10 laps for disrespecting our guests" Tezuka barked

"Hai Buchou" Ryoma tipped her hat down and Tezuka could have sworn he heard her mutter "It was worth it" but let it slide, after all the look on Atobes' face was priceless.

"You will pay for that, young commoner!" Atobe drawled again with his composure back.

Ryoma who was already on her third lap shouted back "Why do you think I'm doing laps?" Making Atobe blush and his entire team sans Kabaji and Jirou (asleep) snicker with the Seigaku regulars and a few non-regulars.

"Che, Ore-sama has brought his team here to play against your regulars as scheduled"

"Aa" Tezuka replied with a nod "ALL NON-REGULARS CLEAR THE COURTS FEEL FREE TO WATCH BUT OTHER THAN THAT YOU CAN LEAVE" He barked louder so everyone could hear.

"REGULARS GATHER ON COURT 1" He continued and he almost jumped at the "Uise" from behind him

"Echizen finish your laps!" he said, hiding his embarrassment

"I finished them while you were yelling" She replied lazily yawning and making her way over to the court with everyone else.

****

"Okay, 1 set matches, no tie breaks" Tezuka said curtly when everyone was gathered.

"The line-up is as followed ahn" Atobe smirked

"**Doubles 2 **

Mukahi /Oshitari pair v Kaido/ Momoshiro pair

**Doubles 1**

Ohtori/ Hiyoshi pair v Eiji/ Oishi pair

**Singles 3**

Jirou v Inui

**Singles 2**

Kabaji v Fuji

**Singles 1 **

Ore-sama v the brat"

"Atobe" Tezuka reprimanded and Ryoma cocked a brow.

"Fine, singles 1 Atobe v Echizen, happy?"

"_Ecstatic_" Everyone blinked up in surprise at the Seigaku captain using _sarcasm._

_She's definitely affecting me _Tezuka thought with a concealed scowl "okay first match, begin" He ordered and everyone except Mukahi, Oshitari, Momo and Kaido.

"I can't believe Buchou isn't playing, nya!" Eiji whined

"Betsuni" Ryoma said calmly and yawned again before walking off.

Eiji and Taka shared a look before smiling "Ponta" they then went and watched the match with everyone else eager to see the outcome.

****

"JIROU!" Yelled Hiyoshi and Ohtori both yelled. After losing their match to the golden pair they were just a little pissed off.

_At least Mukahi and Oshitari won their match _Hiyoshi thought before yelling "JIROU" again "Where the hell did he fall asleep this time?"

"God only knows" Ohtori sighed

"Don't say God, Atobe buchou might hear and get jealous that we're worshipping someone else" snickered Mukahi

"You're chipper, did you find him?" Ohtori asked and smiled as Mukahi grinned like the joker and nodded "You've got to see this, but keep quiet"

Ohtori and Hiyoshi shared a look before deciding to just keep quiet and follow the mad man… er team-mate.

They were sourly tempted to laugh at the scene before them, surrounded by a smiling Momo, a strange looking Atobe and an angry looking Fuji (he took pictures anyway) were Jirou and Ryoma cuddled up together deep in sleep.

It seems that in her sleep Ryoma had slung her arm over Jirous chest and Jirou had buried his face in her hair.

The scene was so incredibly was so incredibly peaceful, the only question on every-ones' mind was who was gonna disrupt it.

Their question was soon answered by the very loud entrance into of the scene by Eiji and Taka with a racquet.

"BURNING! ECHIZEN AND JIROU FOUND!" Taka shouted

And Eiji whined "How come O'chibi hugs Jirou and not me?"

Unfortunately for the two, Ryomas' reflex in her sleepy state was to throw things at the thing (normally her alarm clock) that has rudely awakened her… and she always has tennis balls on hand.

"Urusai!" She said and threw both balls without even opening her eyes hitting her mark perfectly.

This unfortunately unleashed a string of laughter for everyone sans Eiji and Taka who had passed out when the tennis balls hit them square in the face.

There was no way she could get back to sleep.

****

Yawning, Ryoma sat up and looked around her with hazy eyes, fisting them gently and stretching in a feline manner that made the tennis players around her to unconsciously go "Kawai"

Ryoma scowled half-heartedly at them "Who are you calling cute?"

They all blushed as Tezuka walked up to them and took in the scene

"What on earth happened here?" He asked as Inui prodded the two unconscious regulars. Immediately Fujis smile grew and Tezuka knew that it wasn't gonna be good.

Meanwhile Ryoma decided it wouldn't hurt to just fall asleep again, using the orange haired boy whose name she couldn't remember as an impromptu teddy bear.

**Authors note**

Review if you thought this chapter was cute, if you didn't then why the hell not? =_=

^w^


	22. The bet

**Happy **

**Chapter 22**

Ryoma was awakened rudely for the second time that day.

"O'chibi! It's time for your match!" an annoying voice screamed in her ear. Of course Ryomas' immediate reaction was to throttle the thing, and so she did.

"Ryoma!" Tezuka barked out and Fuji glared at him

_You use her first name now?_

"Hai, buchou" Ryoma looked up disinterestedly at Tezuka through sleep fogged eyes.

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU DO THAT!" Momo yelled as Eiji massaged his abused neck.

"So my match is now?" Ryoma asked as she stood and stretched.

"Aa" Tezuka said stoically and Ryoma nodded once and began to walk towards the court with the other regulars.

Once on the court, Ryoma raised her racquet to point at Atobe

"ne, Monkey King, let's make this more interesting"

"What do you propose, brat?" Ryoma and Atobe wore identical smirks that scared the shit out of everyone present, other than Fuji, Tezuka (cause they don't get scared) and Jirou (asleep… again)

**3 hours later **

Ryoma and Atobe were both dripping in sweat , Ryoma collapsed onto her knees and panted out "Screw… you… Monkey… King"

"Say… what you… want… commoner" Atobe panted from where he collapsed "I… Won"

After regaining her breath Ryoma stood shakily and walked to the net, ready to shake Atobe's hand "Winnings no fun if you can't stand up afterwards" She teased and everyone looked on in shock.

"I didn't think Echizen would take losing so well" Momo muttered to Eiji who nodded

"Well she only lost by a point, and Atobe is a captain, if anything it's more embarrassing for him that she ALMOST beat him" Fuji rationalised

"I don't like the bet they made" Oishi worried and Fujis eyes snapped open. Ryoma and Atobe had decided on their own punishments for each other for losing but neither had spoken it aloud. The suspense was steadily building as Atobe rose from the ground

_I don't trust him, what are you gonna do to my Ryo-chan, Atobe?_

The question was soon answered as Atobe swayed up to the net. Ryoma thought it was exhaustion making him sway like a coconut tree in the wind, but Atobes' team knew better.

"You idiot" Oshitari sighed, Fuji heard this and panicked slightly on the inside. What the hell was Atobe gonna do?  
>Ryoma stuck out her hand at the Monkey King as he reached the net, he however had other ideas. Grabbing her shoulders, not noticing how Ryoma stiffened or how the deer in headlights look adorned her face, he lifted her up and smashed their lips together.<p>

There was a moment of silence, before …

"Get off O'chibi!"

"That's not cool, it's not"

"ATOBE PUT HER THE FUCK DOWN CAN'T YOU SEE SHE'S TERRIFIED?" Everyone else's yells of outrage were drowned out by Fujis'. Everyone turned to stare at the flustered genius then at the two on the court, Atobe put Ryoma down and Fuji was right, she was shaking like a leaf. Atobe looked horrified.

The worst case scenario that flitted through his mind was for Ryoma to go "Eww Monkey slobber" and everyone would laugh at his expense, he'd never in the brief moments he'd met Ryoma pinned her as someone who'd scare easy but here she was, shaking with her head down.

Ryoga made his way onto the court and nobody stopped him, not even Kabaji as he walked over and punched Atobe in the face.

He went to hug Ryoma in comfort only to see that Fuji had beaten him to it.

"Ssh, it's okay, we're all gonna kick his ass for you" Fuji said soothingly and when she just stood stiffly in his arms he added "And you can help" she looked up at him sharply and Fuji grew more angry as he saw the shine of unshed tears coating her eyes as she smiled up at him.

"What's the big deal? It'd just a kiss!" Atobe asked as the Seigaku regulars all circled around him, even Tezukas' stoic expression dropped enough for the fury to resonate from him. Apparently that was the wrong to say.

"That's the point!" Ryoma yelled at him from the centre of the circle "You kissed me and you don't even care! I'm so fucking sick of this!" Ryoma continued with angry tears streaming down her face "Everywhere I go guys like you think they can do whatever the hell they want to me because I'm a girl, half the guys I play don't take me seriously and the ones that do pretend they weren't serious when I beat them! Until I came here and people finally treat me normally but it's the same, it will always be the same" Ryoma finished weakly and wiped away her tears burying her face in her brothers' chest while he hugged her.

"…I'm sorry" Atobe said, leaving out the Ore-sama so they'd know he was genuine.

Ryoma calmed herself down before sighing wearily, in a way that made their hearts break, like she had come to terms that something bad was going to happen wherever she went

"Maybe I over reacted, but don't do it again…. I don't really like… physical contact with other people" Ryoma said hoarsely, she wasn't sure why she freaked out so much

_I really am sick of it though _

"I'm going home, wanna come Chibisuke?"

"Sure aniki" Ryoma smiled and they both left.

"So much drama" Tezuka sighed while Fuji attempted to bore holes into Atobes' head with his eyes.

**Authors note**

Hey people sorry for the late update but I hope this chapter was enough to make up for it ^w^

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	23. Recovery

**Happy **

**Chapter 23 **

**Recovery **

"Ryoma, are you okay?" Fuji asked two days after Atobe kissed her. It was their first day back at school.

"I'm fine" she sighed wearily, golden, feline eyes downcast "It was just kind of humiliating, I guess" she chuckled humourlessly

"Listen to me" Fuji opened his eyes and looked straight into Ryomas' "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, if anything it's Atobe who should be mortified"

"I know" Ryoma smirked, a shadow of her usual cocky demeanour "And don't you dare go all overprotective of me, I have a feeling that the rest of the team will probably have that covered and I need some normality in my life, even if it is a freak like you"

Fuji chuckled "There's the Ryo-chan I know and love" he said it jokingly but his heart leapt at the exact same time Ryomas' did.

"O'chibi!" Yelled the overexcited voice of Eiji as he jumped up and glomped Ryoma whose eyes had gone comically large as he approached.

"GET OFF" She yelled and was ignored as always and Eiji clinged to her tighter as Oishi appeared and started fretting immediately.

"It's a testament to how much she likes him that she's not freaking out" Inui spoke from behind Fuji, anyone else would have jumped but Fuji just smiled wider with eyes open as he watched his favourite kohai turn blue steadily and then start gasping for breath as she was released, Eiji apologizing and worrying along with Oishi about her dying, again.

"Maybe she'll be alright" Fuji smiled to himself.

**TENNIS**

On the tennis courts, Ryoma was more ruthless than usual, trying harder and pushing herself to the limit.

"I'm worried" Oishi was the first to admit

"Don't be, she'll be fine, she just feels like she has to prove herself we just need to let her cool off a bit" Fuji smiled

"I don't know how much more of this our club can take" Momo chimed in, there were non-regulars every-where, looking as if they'd just had a gallon of Inui juice.

Fuji chuckled and all the other regulars sweat dropped (sans Tezuka, Inui and Ryoma who was in the middle of beating Arai into the ground)

_Of course Fuji( sempai) would find that funny _

"Ryoma!" Called Ryuuzaki sensei "Calm down, I still want a tennis team by the end of the day" apparently that was the right thing to say because Ryoma smirked

"Hai" she said monotonously but her face was a bit brighter at the back handed compliment.

"Hey sempai-tachi" Ryoma greeted as she plopped down on the ground near them just as Eiji and Oishi began a practice match against each other.

"Are you okay" Momo asked immediately and Ryoma rolled her eyes

"I'm fine, really, I know I kind of freaked out the other day" Ryoma ignored Momo scoffing "but I'm seriously over it, it's old news and I already have Aniki watching me like a hawk" she indicated towards nearby bushes where Ryoga wasn't doing the best job hiding "I don't need you guys over-reacting as well" Fuji and Ryoma both knew that Tezuka and Inui were probably the only ones who would heed this advice, but Fuji thought this might be a good thing, caring too much is fine if there's relatively sane people around to balance it out.

**TENNIS**

After school, and tennis practise, Fuji grabbed Ryoma by the wrist and pulled her away from the others who were all distracted by a sudden explosion that Fuji would claim he had no part in. She complained for a few minutes before Fuji leaned in close "Trust me" he said with blue eyes open and she could only nod mutely in response as she let him pull her away to a place she's never been.

"This is the best ice cream shop in town" Fuji grinned as Ryoma gasped for breath; she wasn't even sure what "town" they were in any more.

"And why are we here?" Ryoma raised a brow as they sat down

"I thought you'd like an evening away from your crazy brother" Fuji laughed

"He'll worry about me" Ryoma pointed out, she wouldn't have been surprised if her brother searched all of Japan trying to find her

"I've already texted him that you're with me and you'd be home later, I didn't specify where we are though" Fuji said innocently and looked over the menu "Ooh they have bubble-gum flavour now"

"I think he'll be even more worried by that" Ryoma pointed out, after all, Ryoga seemed even more protective of her around Fuji.

Fuji just ignored her gave her a menu. They both ordered banana splits (though Ryoma insisted on having what was probably eight different types of ice cream in hers) and ate them together as they talked and laughed and Ryoma was sincerely glad she let Fuji drag her away. Things had been kind of tense at home after Ryoga told Nanjiro and Rinko all about the kiss and she happy to just relax with Fuji. Neither was the type to let their guards down but sometime between them laughing and sharing old stories (most of those from Fuji when he played pranks on the other regulars) they both dropped their guards.

The awkward silence that followed the waitress commenting on how they made such a cute couple" was cut off by Fuji speaking seriously for the first time that night

"Why are you pretending it doesn't bother you?" he asked and Ryoma looked taken aback but knew exactly what he was talking about.

"It doesn't…"she protested weakly but faltered under the glare of Fujis' incredibly blue eyes.

"I was there, remember?" Fuji reminded her "You were more terrified than any horror movie victim I've ever seen, you don't just bounce back from that, not so soon"

Ryoma looked down, but Fuji wasn't done yet.

"I thought maybe, earlier that you were alright, that it really hadn't bothered you, but I was fooling myself and you doing the same thing, please tell me, your father, he never…"

"NO!" Ryoma shouted immediately but apologized as she noticed the attention of all the workers in the empty ice cream shop stare at them "No" she repeated quieter "he didn't… y'know do anything like that" she said sincerely and Fuji sighed in relief

"Listen, I know that healing will take some time, and the other day was a HUGE setback but the last thing I need is everyone to go around acting like a I'm some breakable, porcelain doll, I know I'll get over this but I really don't think me worrying everyone will help" Ryoma explained with tears in her eyes

"Okay" Fuji responded quietly and pulled her into a gentle embrace. He comforted her and she sobbed quietly into his shoulder, they must have been there hours but when they pulled apart, Ryoma felt much better, tired but much lighter.

**TENNIS**

"If you ever need anyone to talk to without worrying about them freaking out, don't hesitate to call me, night or day" Fuji said as he parted at Ryomas' gate

"I will" She smiled genuinely, she felt for the first time, that maybe relying on someone isn't such a bad thing.

**AN **

Sorry for the long wait, just finished my exams XD

To compensate I made this a really dramatic, fluffy FujiRyo chapter

**REVIEW PLEASE **


	24. I think I love you

**Happy **

**Chapter 23 **

**I think I love you **

_**Previously **_

_"If you ever need anyone to talk to without worrying about them freaking out, don't hesitate to call me, night or day" Fuji said as he parted at Ryomas' gate_

_"I will" She smiled genuinely; she felt for the first time that maybe relying on someone isn't such a bad thing._

_**Currently **_

Fuji Syusuke awoke with a smile on his face; it was the 14th of February, which meant only one thing: getting loads of chocolate to dangle in front Momoshiro, the fact that it was well known to all regulars that Fuji didn't even like chocolate just made it better. And if a certain young regular felt the urge to proclaim her undying love for him through chocolate, well that would be fine too. He was happy at how close him and his Ryo-chan had gotten, she called him whenever she was scared or had nightmares just like she said she would, and he answered the phone any time, day or night, just like he said.

His aniki drove him to school, predicting that he would be very fortunate in love today. His smile only grew.

He said hello to all the regulars that had arrived before getting changed. He frowned when they were already 15 minutes into practice and his Ryo-chan hadn't shown up yet, he'd asked Momoshiro (those two were far too close for Fujis' liking) but the dunk smash specialist just shrugged and said that he had offered to give her a ride to school but she had told him to

"GET THAT DEATH BIKE AWAY FROM ME!"

"And that's why you shouldn't help your irritable kohai" Momo summarised with a serious expression. Ryoma ran in looking breathless just as Tezuka was about to yell at everyone for slacking off.

"Gomen" she huffed out then stood up straight "I was told last night that you have some sort of stupid tradition here that girls have to give you jack asses chocolates" Ryoma explained holding out chocolates for all the regulars to take, everyone was actually speechless. Except Fuji who cooed

"That's so sweet, Ryo-chan!"

Ryoma scowled (pouted) "Betsuni. It took me forever to make so I slept in and went back to sleep when Momo came. It took a lot of effort so anyone who doesn't like there's can either shut up or have their tongue cut off"

The regulars gulped nervously (sans Fuji and Tezuka) but bit into their chocolates nonetheless, luckily for everyone they were delicious, unfortunately for everyone, when tried playing tennis after eating they all got cramps.

**TeNNiS**

Ryoma was surprised that when she got to her first class, there were chocolates on her desk, even though only girls were meant to be allowed to give chocolates in this country.

She read the labels and most of them said something like "For my Californian girl" or "I hear this is how it works in America" Ryoma was touched but most of it was very cheap chocolate and didn't taste very good. She didn't notice Fuji glaring at the chocolates as she ate them. She beamed when some guy walked up to her in the middle of practice. It wasn't that she liked this boy as the regulars thought; it was just that he was carrying a _Milka_ bar which as any fool would know, is the most delicious kind of chocolate.

"Hey, Echizen, I was just wondering… em would you be my valentine?" The boy asked looking hopeful, and it took everything Fuji had not to growl.

"What exactly would that entail?" Ryoma asked, eyeing the chocolate, the boy looked taken aback but recovered

"Well, going on a date with me?" He said nervously, Ryoma pondered this, then smirked

"So basically, chocolate and free food?"

"I guess" He said, not nearly as oblivious to the crowd that had gathered as Ryoma.

"Okay" she said and took the chocolate bar, opening it and biting into like Mello*

Fujis' eyes widened in shock, she said yes. He couldn't believe it, even if it was obvious she was only doing it for the free food.

Fuji zoned out while the other regulars (mostly Eiji and Momo) teased Ryoma, they stopped when she bit "At least I can get a date" sending the two regulars into emo corners. It also snapped Fuji out of his day dream.

"Ryo-chan" he said sweetly though a dangerous aura formed around him, Ryoma gulped but met his stare "Come with me for a moment" He said, already having her arm in his grip as he dragged her away

"Don't do anything illegal" Tezuka said as they passed him, making Ryoma worry very much for her own safety.

Once around the corner, Fuji pinned her to the wall loosely, letting her escape if she wanted to, she stood, determined and confused, but trusting Fuji not to hurt her… seriously.

"Ryoma, I don't want you to go out with that guy" he said bluntly and Ryoma opened her mouth to retort but Fuji continued "I want you to go out with me instead"

Ryoma was speechless, she looked into Fujis' deep blue eyes, searching for a trick or a lie in is confession "Why?" she asked quietly

"Because" Fuji took a deep breath "I think I love you" Ryoma smiled with tears in her eyes and Fuji, taking this as a good sign, leaned in slowly, giving Ryoma a chance to push him away as he pressed his lips against hers, she kissed back softly after a moment of hesitation, linking her hands around his neck and pulling him closer.

"I think I love you too" She breathed when they separated

"Good, because I don't want you to date anyone else" Fuji smiled and kissed her again. The pair jumped apart when the wolf whistling started, courtesy of Momo of course. Ryoma blushed and opened her mouth to snap at him but Fuji quickly kissed her again

"Sorry boys, she's mine" He smirked to the entire tennis team that had gathered, including the boy from earlier who guessed that he wasn't getting his date.


	25. White day

**Happy **

**Chapter 25**

**White day **

_**Previously**_

_"Ryoma, I don't want you to go out with that guy" he said bluntly and Ryoma opened her mouth to retort but Fuji continued "I want you to go out with me instead"_

_Ryoma was speechless, she looked into Fujis' deep blue eyes, searching for a trick or a lie in is confession "Why?" she asked quietly_

_"Because" Fuji took a deep breath "I think I love you" Ryoma smiled with tears in her eyes and Fuji, taking this as a good sign, leaned in slowly, giving Ryoma a chance to push him away as he pressed his lips against hers, she kissed back softly after a moment of hesitation, linking her hands around his neck and pulling him closer._

_"I think I love you too" She breathed when they separated_

_"Good, because I don't want you to date anyone else" Fuji smiled and kissed her again. The pair jumped apart when the wolf whistling started, courtesy of Momo of course. Ryoma blushed and opened her mouth to snap at him but Fuji quickly kissed her again_

_"Sorry boys, she's mine" He smirked to the entire tennis team that had gathered, including the boy from earlier who guessed that he wasn't getting his date._

_**Currently **_

It was almost exactly one month since the happy couple had started dating, and Fuji was still clingy.

"Syuu-chan!" Ryoma groaned as her boyfriend picked her up and slid her into his lap, much to the other regulars amusement. Fuji had insisted that she call him Syuu-chan or just Syusuke since they got together.

"O'chibi and Fujiko are such a cute couple, nya!" Eiji squealed like a fangirl

"Saa, thanks Eiji. You and Oishi are a cute couple too" Fuji smiled and the golden pair reddened

"We're not a couple!" they defended but Fuji just chuckled as he heard Ryoma mutter

"Sure you're not" Under her breathe

"So, what are we doing for white day?" Ryoma asked

"What do you mean?" Tezuka asked

"Well, white day is the day you pay back the girls who get you chocolates on Valentine's Day, right?" At nods she continued "Well, since I got all the regulars chocolate I thought we could all go out and do something"

"Saa, great idea, Ryo-chan" Fuji smiled and kissed her forehead, Ryoma dearly wished for her cap so that she could cover her blush but alas it didn't appear for her. It was break-time and all the regulars had taken to the roof where they found Ryoma already there, asleep. Needless to say they woke her up.

"What you want to do then?, Kawamura sushi?" Momo said

"No, we go there too often" Oishi dismissed

"And we're normally packed on white day anyway so sorry" Taka added sheepishly

"We could go to a hot spring, Nya!" Eiji said, earlier embarrassment now forgotten

"Did you get that idea from Fruits Basket?" Oishi asked, knowing that that show had become Eiji's favourite lately

Eiji nodded vigorously and almost all the regulars sweat dropped

"I don't understand. How did Eiji get an idea from a basket of fruit?" Ryoma asked Fuji, looking up at him imploringly. Fuji was surprised that she allowed herself to sit in his lap in front of everyone but he definitely wasn't complaining.

"Fruits Basket is an anime; in it the main girl, Tohru Honda buys all the Sohma boys she knows chocolates on Valentine's Day, then on white day Momiji, one of the boys she gave chocolate to brings them all to a hot spring" He explained with his customary smile

"Oh" Said Ryoma "Then it's decided. We're going to a hot spring and Momo sempai and Eiji sempai are paying"

"Huh? Why?" Shouted said boys yelled in unison

"Saa, I think it's because if you mix your names it becomes Momiji" Fuji explained and Ryoma nodded

"Ok, it's decided then. There's a good hot spring near my house, we'll go there this weekend. Everyone will pay their own way except Echizen since she was the one to make the chocolates we will all pay for hers" Tezuka said with finality

"Why doesn't Fuji just pay for her ticket? I mean he got chocolate and a girlfriend" Momo complained

"Saa, are you saying you want Ryo-chan as your girlfriend?" Fuji asked with eyes open and a growing black aura

"No!" Momo said immediately and when Ryoma raised a brow at him he continued "Not that you aren't pretty or anything, or that you wouldn't be a good kisser or anything like that, though you definitely wouldn't be a cheap date, ha ha" Momo finished lamely

"Saa, I know she's a good kisser" Fuji smirked while Ryoma fought off a blush

"Me too, nya!" Eiji sang and Oishi looked betrayed while Fuji glared and Ryoma just looked confused "Before I saw her tie a cherry stem with her tongue, nya!" Eiji finished happily and Ryoma looked even more confused

"What does that have to do with anything?" She asked and Fuji chuckled while the other regulars sweat dropped.

"Mada mada dane, Ryo-chan"

**White day **

"I didn't think the place would be empty" Tezuka admitted with a frown "It seems you're going to be alone in the girls' bath, Echizen"

"That's better than being surrounded by strangers" Ryoma deadpanned

"We could sneak you in with us" Fuji smirked

"We can't do that! It's against morale principle to have a young girl in a hot spring with a bunch of guys! It's probably illegal too! If we all go to jail our dream of nationals would be ruined and when we get out of jail we'll all be known as perverts and we'll have to live in a halfway house and go to a school for delinquents!" Oishi ranted

"Relax Oishi 76.2% chance it was a joke" Inui said

"Saa, I thought I was funny" Fuji chuckled and Ryoma rolled her feline eyes

"I'm going into the girls' one now" she called as she left them all

"Bye Ryo-chan! Make sure no perverts sneak up on you!" Fuji called pleasantly "Let's go in ourselves now" Fuji said heading for the boys' spring, the other regulars followed all grinning or smirking or in Tezuka's case; smiling on the inside.

**Girls section **

Ryoma sank into the hot water and sighed in content. She'd always loved baths, much more than showers. It was one of the few places where she found herself relaxing and not thinking about anything. It was quiet for all of the five minutes it took for the guys to change and head into the baths next to her, they were separated by a thin, tatami wall and she knew that she'd be listening to lots of arguing, laughter and splashing for the next hour or so and she couldn't help but long to be with them. It was weird or her, the feeling of wanting to be with people when she'd always been fine on her own. Thinking of the others made her smile, especially Fuji. She had wanted to do something with Fuji that day too since it was technically their one month anniversary but it seemed girly and stupid to acknowledge it so she just offered for everyone to do something together.

"Then how did I end up alone?" She asked herself softly; suddenly there was a blanket and arms thrown around her

"Oh you're not alone" A voice whispered in her ear and before she had a chance to scream, the world went dark.


	26. A black day

**Happy**

**Chapter 26 **

**A black day **

_**Previously **_

_She had wanted to do something with Fuji that day too since it was technically their one month anniversary but it seemed girly and stupid to acknowledge it so she just offered for everyone to do something together._

_"Then how did I end up alone?" She asked herself softly; suddenly there was a blanket and arms thrown around her_

_"Oh you're not alone" A voice whispered in her ear and before she had a chance to scream, the world went dark._

_**Currently **_

Fuji frowned, his eyes snapped open "I sense a dark force nearby" He announced coldly and immediately the bath went silent "And Ryo-chan has been quiet for far too long"

"Don't worry, Fuji-sempai, she's probably just fell asleep" Momo laughed

"Because falling asleep in a hot spring isn't dangerous at all" Fuji bit out sarcastically "Besides, it's more than that. Something is amiss. I can feel it" before anyone could stop him Fuji raised his voice "RYOMA! RYO-CHAN, ARE YOU OKAY?" he received no answer.

"Fuji-" Tezuka started but was cut off by the genius

"I'm going to check on her"

"Fuji!" Oishi said, aghast

"Would you forgive yourself if something really is wrong and we didn't check on her?" Fuji asked as he left.

They waited half a heartbeat before following Fuji, waiting for him outside the baths, it was 5 minutes before their resident sadist came out looking more distraught than any of them had ever seen him.

"Fuji?" Oishi asked delicately

"Where's O'chibi?" Eiji looked close to tears when Fuji turned to him and shook his head numbly choking out the words past dry lips

"I don't know"

**-x-**

Ryoma woke up to darkness, she felt a cloth across he eyes, damp with her tears. She had been dreaming of her father again, and she had been crying in her sleep. It had been a while since the memories had haunted her dreams.

"Awake, I see" A gruff, male voice noted from somewhere across the cold, large room, the comment echoed slightly and Ryoma flinched, noticing for the first time that she was tied to a chair. The ropes agitated the pale skin of her shoulders, ankles and wrists. Cold air made Ryoma shiver in the blanket she was wrapped in as what she guessed was a heavy door creaked open loudly and slammed shut.

"Who the hell is that?" A new voice asked, his voice wasn't as gruff it had a cool sadism to it and Ryoma gulped as she thought of Fuji, if this was another Fuji then she worried for her safety.

The first voice chuckled "This here is Ryoma Echizen, only female regular for Seigaku tennis team, daughter of the Nanjiro Echizen"

"What do you want with me?" She yelled and was ignored

"Yea, so?" The new voice asked impatiently

"She's also the famous prodigy, Fuji Syusukes' girlfriend"

"What are your intentions with her?" asked the second voice after a pause

"I'll keep 'er 'til after Nationals, they'll be down at least 2 players since Fuji'll probably be too upset to play" The first voice said and Ryoma could hear his grin. She shook with anger

"Tennis?" she barely whispered "You kidnapped me for tennis?" She yelled "Just because you want to win Nationals?" she laughed humourlessly "You're fools if you think beating Seigaku at Nationals will be easy even without me. Even if you win it won't make you winners, you'll be losers fore-" Ryomas' rant was cut off by a sharp slap to her face that made her turn her face to the side as her cheek stung and licked her bottom lip and tasted iron

"It's been a while since I tasted my own blood" she noted mildly

"I don't give a fuck about tennis" Seethed the gruff man in her face "I care about the money I'm being paid to find the "weaknesses" of Fuji Syusuke, and since Fuji Yuuta is off limits, that leaves you, sweetheart"

Ryomas' mind was reeling with the new information, she pushed away her fears and how much the man in front of her, inches from reminded her of her _father _and didn't even notice as he pulled back and left with the other man. She was left alone with her thoughts

"Who hates Syusuke?" She wondered softly then groaned "That damn sadistic bastard has probably pissed off more people than I have"

**-x-**

Rinko and Nanako hadn't stopped sobbing since the regulars showed up at their house hours ago and explained everything. Fuji had to be supported by Momo and Taka and collapsed into the chair offered to him. He still sat there, staring at the ground

"Are you sure?" Nanjiro begged for the third time in the last hour, as if he thought the answer would change

"Her clothes were all still there, and we waited there for two hours with Momo, Eiji, Oishi and Tezuka all looking for her. She didn't leave, she was taken" Fuji said, more frail looking and sounding than usual, but as he looked up there was a determination that shone in his eyes that reminded them of Ryoma "I'm going to find her"

"No" Tezuka said and everyone's' eyes snapped to him "We're going to find her"

All the regulars nodded solemnly and Nanjiro hugged Nanako and Rinko. As the regulars all turned to leave Nanjiro called out to them

"I trust you with her life" he said, his voice cracking on life "Save her"

"Even at the cost us our lives" Fuji replied with his eyes open and face grim.


	27. Help

**Happy **

**Chapter 27 **

**HELP **

_**Previously **_

_All the regulars nodded solemnly and Nanjiro hugged Nanako and Rinko. As the regulars all turned to leave Nanjiro called out to them_

_"I trust you with her life" he said, his voice cracking on life "Save her"_

_"Even at the cost us our lives" Fuji replied with his eyes open and face grim._

**One week after Ryoma went missing **

**Atobe estate, the waiting room **

It took all of Fujis' willpower not to fidget or scream. They had been waiting for the appearance of Atobe Keigo for twenty minutes now. Beside him Tezuka looked solemn but calm, Fuji knew that Tezuka was just as uneasy as he was but it was for his stoicism that Fuji decided to let Tezuka come, that and if anyone could get through to the arrogant man it was him. Looking to his left the golden pair was obviously edgy as Oishi's eyes were wide and fretful and Eiji clinged to his partner as if he would disappear if he were to loosen his grip even a little. Fuji had brought them too mostly to make sure Tezuka didn't make it seem like a business proposal and to hold Fuji back if Atobe crossed any lines.

"Ah, I heard that you Seigaku players had requested Ore-sama's presence" Atobe drawled

"Atobe" Tezuka greeted stiffly

"We need your help" Fuji said straight, opening his eyes and forgetting his manners.

**Unknown location **

Ryoma hadn't slept much; she knew that stress would bring nightmares. Memories. She strained her ear for every sound. From what she gathered she was in an isolated location, she hadn't heard any cars since her captors left hours ago. She could tell vaguely from the light that flitted through a small window across from her that it was midday.

"Find me, Syusuke" she whispered in a hoarse rasp.

**Atobe estate **

"And why should Ore-sama help you?" Atobe arched a brow

"Because Ryoma is missing" Oishi spoke up with steel in his usual cold eyes

"You want Ore-sama to help find her?" Atobe asked trying not to sound concerned

"You have helicopters, people and money. We could set up a better search party" Tezuka stated

"And why should Ore-sama do that? You aren't the ones who have to deal with Ore-sama's parents when they find out how much money this will cost"

"You spend like a million yen on your shirts! Nya!" Eiji argued fiercely "I don't think your parents will think of saving some-one's life as a waste"

"Besides you owe Ryoma" Fuji said coldly "You stole her first kiss and she forgave you. Every second we waste here the less chance of Ryomas' survival"

"Why aren't you all out looking then?" Atobe asked with a petulant scowl

"Momo has gone to Fudomine to recruit members for a search party, Kawamura has gone to Yamabuki, and Inui has gone to Rikkaidai. Kaido is leading a search party filled with all Seigaku non regulars" Tezuka informed

"And we already went to the police. Even if you don't help your entire team has agreed to already" Fuji said knowing that Atobes' pride wouldn't let him be the only one not helping, especially with him being a captain.

"Ore-sama authorizes you to use three of his helicopters and pilots and 3,000 of Ore-sama's personal staff. Be awed by my generosity"

"Always, Atobe" Fuji plastered on his usual smile.

When all the preparations were all finished the quartet got up to leave

"You better bring the brat back" Atobe said

"I intend to"

**The Fuji household **

Fuji Yuuta frowned. It wasn't often that he came home for the weekend, but every single time his older brother would be there. Every single time. But when he came home the house lacked a smell of wasabi and mischief. He found Yumiko in the kitchen, stirring a pot of something and looking stricken.

"Hey sis" Yuuta said with worry lacing his tone as Yumiko snapped out of reverie to acknowledge her youngest brother

"Oh Yuuta you're home!" She embraced him in a bear hug

"Where's bro?" Yuuta asked, not that he cared

"Syuu- kun is going through a rough time now. His girlfriend, Ryoma has been kidnapped" Yumiko said into his hair

"Seriously?" Yuuta retreated to look into his sisters honest eyes

Yumiko said something but Yuuta was too shocked to hear. He didn't even know Ryoma (other than Syusuke telling him about her) but it still stung for her loss. From what he'd heard she was one of a kind, and great at tennis. And he wasn't blind to the change in his brother, she made him happy. Yuuta felt sick at the realisation that if this didn't work out his brother would never be the same again. And as much as Yuuta hated and envied his older brother, he knew in his heart that that would be a bad thing.

**The Echizen household **

Nanako was washing the dishes when it happened. The framed picture of Ryoma and Nanjiro and Rinko fell from the shelf and smashed onto the ground. Nanako hurried to pick it up, ignoring the sting of broken glass in her fingers. The main point of the crack was on Ryomas' face and Nanako's gut wrenched painfully. This was a bad omen.

Rinko hadn't gone back to work since Ryoma went missing. The firm she worked for understood and took it out of her holiday break. She rushed into the kitchen when she heard the smash. She looked down into the picture held in Nanako's frail hands that bled from numerous small cuts.

"C'mon let's go get you cleaned up" Rinko said softly and guided Nanako towards one of the dining room chairs. Getting the first aid box Rinko though back to the picture that was set on the desk. _Oh Ryoma_ she thought but kept a calm mask on for Nanako's sake. It was affecting her really bad.

Nanako winced when the disinfectant was sprayed on her fingers but her eyes remained distant. She pulled her fingers back suddenly

"What if they don't find her?" She asked

"They will" Rinko didn't hesitate and Nanako knew that it was all her aunt was holding onto so she kept quiet until her hands were both bandaged, then she felt she would burst if she didn't talk

"But what if they don't? We're sat here doing nothing Rinko!" She exploded

For a while Nanako thought that she'd crossed a line and that Rinko wouldn't answer

"There's nothing for us to do. As sexist as it seems as the women closest to Nanjiro we could be targets too"

"You think this is about uncle?" Nanako asked with wide eyes, the idea hadn't even crossed her mind but now she could see that it hadn't left Rinko's.

"Maybe, it would make sense. He was huge, it would be ignorant not to assume that one of his crazy fans would hate us for taking a place in his heart" Rinko said monotonously "It hasn't occurred to him yet so don't say anything!" She added urgently "The last thing I need is him feeling guilty"

Nanako nodded and hugged her aunt in a gentle but secure embrace

"They haven't sent a ransom note. I don't think that's a good thing" Rinko confided in her niece, completely forgetting her plan to be Nanako's solid thing to hang on to

"Ryomas' affected a lot of people" Nanako smiled sadly "They've got half of Japan looking for her"

They shared a humourless laugh before Rinko suddenly sprung up "Oh my, I can't believe I forgot to tell them!" and ran into the study

"Tell who what?" Nanako asked, worried for her aunts sanity

"Ryoma has friends outside of Japan, you know!" Rinko called from where she sat at the computer "They deserve to know" she said solemnly "If the next time I see my daughter is in a morgue then I want them to have some warning"


	28. Of trauma and tennis

**Happy **

**Chapter 28 **

**Trauma and tennis **

_**Previously **_

_"Ryomas' affected a lot of people" Nanako smiled sadly "They've got half of Japan looking for her"_

_They shared a humourless laugh before Rinko suddenly sprung up "Oh my, I can't believe I forgot to tell them!" and ran into the study_

_"Tell who what?" Nanako asked, worried for her aunts sanity_

_"Ryoma has friends outside of Japan, you know!" Rinko called from where she sat at the computer "They deserve to know" she said solemnly "If the next time I see my daughter is in a morgue then I want them to have some warning"_

**10 days missing **

**Unknown location **

Ryoma drank in the water that was being pressed to her lips by captor number two. Ryoma had decided to call him Snowball because of his icy presence.

"So, you do this often?" Ryoma asked casually and the man chuckled

"Kidnap innocent children for money? Yeah all the time" He answered. Ryoma thought she might have to choose a different name for him. He wasn't nearly as cold as he was at the start but she guessed it was okay anyway because Snowball was a cat's name and cats were warm and fuzzily though she wouldn't go as far as to call this man fuzzily… Ryoma thought that maybe the recent turn of events had disturbed her so much that she wasn't even afraid anymore. It was worrying.

"Why?" She asked

"Children are less of a challenge than adults" Snowball answered simply

Ryoma scoffed "Untie me and I'll show you a challenge"

"You think I'm afraid of a twelve year old girl who's been crying herself to sleep for the last 10 days?" Laughed Snowball

"Don't get cocky, that's not your work. I normally do that" Ryoma retorted. Snowball made a noise of surprise but deigned not to comment.

"Ever kill a kid?" Ryoma asked, she tried not to sound afraid, though she was glad to be feeling something again

"No" Snowball said immediately "I'm fine with kidnapping children but I don't do the murder thing"

"Aren't you a saint?" Ryoma rolled her feline eyes behind her blindfold

"Y'know I have no qualms about beating a child" Snowball warned and pressed the glass of water against Ryomas' lips again.

**Los Angeles International Airport, California, USA **

The young blonde waited impatiently for the plane to take off. He tapped a rhythm on the armrest absentmindedly. He needed to be in Japan and stationary was just not fast enough for him.

Kevin Smith had met Ryoma Echizen when they were both 10. He had sought her out when he found out that Nanjiro Echizen –his father's old rival had adopted a daughter (though there were rumours that he was the product of an affair he had had because of her close resemblance to him) and that she won 4 junior championships in a row. Because of the publicity the greenette received she was fairly easy to find. Kevin was determined to beat her and reclaim his family's honour.

Then he met her.

At first he hated her openly. Though he couldn't get near to her. She had constantly played matches against various opponents. She beat each one with ease and it just served to piss off Kevin. When he finally got to play her he was surprised. After his first serve (a service ace) she had smiled

"That was fast" She had said and switched to her left hand surprising everyone, she'd never played left handed before. This was her first time playing seriously.

The match was long and Ryoma only barely managed to win in the end. She won 7-6 but they were both panting and the huge crowd that had gathered was for both of them. They decided to go to a burger joint afterwards (Kevin had to pay because he was the _gentleman_) and talked. They talked for hours and by the end of the night Kevin had spilled his guts about how his had father gotten drunk often and would take his failures out on Kevin. Ryoma didn't look at him in pity or say "I'm Sorry" like he was expecting. She simply looked him straight in the eye and told him that she understood and that he should leave before it was too late. She explained how her Father had abused her to the point where she had lost faith in everything and how the Echizens had saved her.

They bonded over Trauma and tennis.

Kevin found his own loving foster family, though he kept his last name. He was happier since.

Ryoma saved him and he was going to return the favour.

**Dublin airport, Ireland **

Luke Colfer was stoic as he boarded the plane. His face was pensive as he sat down. He needed a plan. That was his area of expertise, he thought up weird and out of the box hair brain schemes that made for maximum mischief while appearing completely innocent. But this was different; one of his best friends was missing and he didn't know where to begin. What was he supposed to do? He was just a kid who decided to hop on a plane to a foreign country alone to save a girl that he hadn't physically seen for a year. He was way out of his league and it scared him that maybe he couldn't do anything. All he could do was be there for Rinko and Nanjiro and all the friends he'd been told Ryoma had obtained.

"Stay alive, Ryoma" He whispered and let his head fall against the headrest. As the plane took off he barely felt his ears pop.

The way Luke and Ryoma met was a funny story. They were 9 at the time. Luke had never played tennis, or any sort of sports. He preferred playing mind games with people and chess when he felt like it. With and IQ of over 200 Luke was almost definitely the smartest person in whatever room he walked into. It was lonely. He used to get excited over all the little facts that he found amazing, rambling on with a huge grin on his pale face and his chin length brunette hair swishing around as he made wild hand gestures to further explain what he was talking about. After the hundredth time of just receiving a weird look as the person he was talking to evaluated his sanity he stopped doing that. In fact he stopped talking completely. It made his school life a bit easier. There everyone ignored him or called him a freak or insane or a nerd or far worse things. Most of the times though all they really did was tell him to shut up.

So he did. He just kept his mouth shut. His parents missed his voice; he knew it was killing them every time they would talk to him and only receive a blank look. He never stopped learning though. He knew that if he were to behave dumber then he would fit in more but his intelligence was one thing he would never sacrifice.

When he met Ryoma it was at a shop called _sub city_ it was one of the only shops that sold Anime and Manga (and its merchandise) in Ireland. They reached for the "L" plushie at the same time and shared a blank stare as they looked up.

"Give" Ryoma had said simply

Luke shook his head. He already had the "Ryuuk" and "Light" plushie, he really wanted the "L" one

"I want it" Ryoma had frowned

Luke raised a brow

"Okay that's not a great argument" Ryoma admitted and Luke was surprised to realise that this was the first real conversation he'd had in years and he wasn't even talking.

"I'm only in Ireland for a week. I'm touring all the "fun" parts of the world with my foster parents" Ryoma continued "I wanted to buy a plushie in every country"

Luke gestured to all the other plushies, there were 6 different characters from several different anime's but there was only one "L"

"I've already got the others" Ryoma pouted and Luke sighed, he'd just get a "Matt" instead.

Letting go of the plushie he half bowed to Ryoma dramatically.

"Thank you" She said with a smile as he picked up the "Matt" plushie. He smiled back. They walked up to the cashier together and kept up their "conversation". It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

** Munich airport, Munich, Germany **

Fabian Kaulitz and his twenty year old sister boarded the plane together. Fabian took the window seat and stared out the window with hollow eyes. He pretended not to notice the worried looks his sister had been shooting him. It hadn't been hard since people had been looking at him like that ever since he was five. His family had friends had stopped years ago but he knew that they were all anticipating another breakdown.

When he was five he had walked away from his mother when they were shopping. She hadn't noticed as she was talking with an old friend she had met suddenly. He had gotten far away when he was approached by a man with a silly mask of bugs bunny on. Fabian had trusted him almost immediately when he said he would take him back to his mom. As a five year old it was devastating to be lost and the silly man seemed to know what he was doing.

He had been held hostage for four weeks before the police had found him. His mind had suppressed the memories so even he couldn't tell you what had happened but the the mark of a triangle inside a circle that was branded on his side still stung whenever he felt stressed. One thing he did remember was when the police burst through the doors of the warehouse, he remembered the man who took him –Bill Wulfgang as he was later identified- reaching for a knife, ready to stab Fabian when he was shot. The crimson fluid that pooled around the man's' body still haunted Fabian's memories sometimes.

When he'd met Ryoma it was when he was playing tennis in the community court, it was his way of releasing stress. He hit ball after ball against the abused wall even as the rain soaked through his hoodie and baggy jeans, even as his dyed black hair flattened itself against his scalp. He didn't know when he started crying but it mixed in with the rain the left long streaks of wet down his face.

Ryoma was there too, the only other person insane enough to play tennis against a wall in the rain.

She wore mid-thigh length white shorts and a red and white polo shirt, both of which clung to her skin as they were saturated by the rain. Her white cap had fallen off at some point leaving her hair tied up in a high ponytail of heavy emerald hair.

Fabian paid her no mind until the rhythmic sound of her tennis ball smacking against the concrete wall stopped. He let his own ball shoot into his hand as he looked over at her with disinterest. His eyes widened when he realised they weren't alone anymore. Ryoma was surrounded by a group of boys.

There were vile words and threats spewing out of their mouths that Fabian couldn't hear over the blood pounding in his ears. He didn't think he could take them. Ryoma remained still; she glared up at them as they leered. Fabian was frozen until they shoved her, she hit the ground but didn't seem hurt or even surprised by the fall.

Before he knew what he was doing he had ran over and was standing in front of Ryoma and shouting something that he couldn't even understand, it sounded like "What the hell is wrong with you?" and judging by the fury in their faces that was probably what he said

The biggest one threw the first punch. Fabian responded by swinging his racket and hitting him in the stomach. Hard. The boy doubled over and the others swooped in. It was a blur of limbs and rackets as Fabian tried to beat them all off, but it was six on one and he felt faint by the time he realised that Ryoma wasn't behind him anymore. She had gone off a few paces to the right where she got ready to serve. She served six balls at once and they all hit their targets. The boys didn't see it coming when the ball hit their temples and knocked them out cold. As they fell, Fabian dropped to his knees. He checked their pulses

"Don't worry" Ryoma had said in slow German "I know the right force to not kill"

They weren't dead so Fabian sighed in relief "We need to get them to shelter" He said urgently

Ryoma raised a brow "Why?"

"Because they don't deserve to die on a cold wet tennis court" Fabian had said "No one does"

Ryomas' fierce eyes softened slightly as she helped Fabian lift one of them by each arm and dragged him to a bar that Fabian went to often

"If he wakes up we're dead" Ryoma mentioned and Fabian nodded once jerkily "You're a fool" She said but kept dragging the boy

"I guess you are too" Fabian had smiled

They asked for help at the bar and half the patrons came to their aid. They were offered hot drinks. Though offered would implied that they had a choice in the matter. Ryoma had joked and teased Fabian about being known a little too well at a bar and Fabian had joked back. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

**London Heathrow airport, England **

Ciaran and David Pierce linked their fingers as they boarded the plane. Their mother followed with a slight frown etched on her beautiful face. The twins got their looks from her. Ciaran and David had identical pretty faces, framed with copper hair and clouded with pain.

They couldn't believe that Ryoma had been kidnapped. She'd always seemed so impenetrable, so unbreakable. They'd joked before that they'd feel sorry for any poor sucker that kidnapped Ryoma, she had a sharp tongue that could make you wish you were never born and a glare that could freeze hell over.

But she also had a soft heart. An abused heart and Ciara and David swore to themselves that they wouldn't let her suffer any more abuse. One thing they knew for certain was that when they found the people who kidnapped Ryoma and make the poor suckers pay.

When they met Ryoma it was when she was eleven. They were both twelve. It was the middle of her tour around the fun parts of the world and she spent a week in London. The boys had been playing together on a court against some nameless faces and crushing them into the dirt. They had unlocked synchronization when they were eight.

She had tried to play one on two against them. They'd won 6-2 and made of her for the rest of the day. She only gave them blank stares or ignored them completely. This of course was taken as a challenge. The thing with the Pierce twins was that they had victims, they didn't have friends. It was them against the rest of the world and they liked to think they were winning. They spent the entire week annoying Ryoma before she snapped and yelled at them for a whole ten minutes straight. It was something about Ryoma that made the twins want to keep her around. And like it or not, she was their first friend.

They kept in touch through phone and e-mail and phone calls and she even introduced them to her other friends. Officially to get them to "Stop stalking her and get some other friends" but deep down they all knew that she liked the group of friends she had formed. Even the twins.


	29. All eyes on screen

**Happy 29 **

**All eyes on screen **

**11 days missing **

Kevin arrived at the Echizen household first. Rinko didn't give him a chance to ring the doorbell when she flung the door wide and enveloped him in a huge hug.

"Oh Kevin" She sighed and ushered him inside with his bags "We have no news on Ryoma yet but we have numerous search parties with helicopters and the police and several tennis teams" Rinko rambled nervously as she played with her hem

Kevin stood with determination shining in his blue eyes "Which search party can I join?"

"Calm down kid" Nanjiro said from where he sat cross legged on the floor "They're out searching all of Japan at the moment, they'll meet back at 7 00 pm tonight at the Atobe Mansion. We'll be joining them for a status report. If they haven't found her by then they rest for the night and go out searching again tomorrow morning at 8 00 am" he sounded like he was reciting a script and looked just as unhappy about what he was saying as Kevin was at what he was hearing.

The blonde opened his mouth but whatever he was going to say was cut off by the doorbell ringing. Nanako jumped and spilled her tea. She watched it pool over the table and fall of the side like a waterfall with a detached quality.

"I'll get the door" Rinko said softly and it snapped Nanako out of her trance.

"Oh auntie, I'm sorry, I made a mess" She got to cleaning up the tea while Rinko opened the door.

**The Fuji household **

Fuji Yuuta was sulking. He knew that he was stuck at home with Yumiko and his parents for his own good but there was no worse feeling for the boy than to feel useless. And right now he was doing nothing. He remembered the last conversation he had with his aniki, Syusuke with a shiver.

"_I want to help!" Yuuta yelled as Syusuke informed him that he was to stay at home under police protection _

"_You'd help buy not being captured" Syusuke pointed out _

"_Why would I be taken?" Yuuta said in frustration. Syusuke was over protective but he thought this was a bit much _

"_What do you and Ryo-chan have in common?" Syusuke asked _

"_Tennis"_

"_And…?" Syusuke prompted _

_Realisation dawned "You" Yuuta breathed "But why would anyone-"_

"_People do crazy things, like kidnap girls and I am not without enemies"_

"_Then why aren't you staying home? If you think you're the target?" Yuuta asked _

" _Don't be silly, Yuuta" Syusuke began with his customary smile "If I stay at home how could I tear my Ryo-chans' captors limb by limb and burn the remnants?" Syusuke opened his blue eyes and smiled a dangerous smile. _

"Sometimes, I think I'm the only normal child in my family" Yuuta fell back on to his bed. His head knocked against something solid and he picked up the picture of the Saint Rudolf he had framed. It caused another crease in his brow. Misuki had been acting strange lately. He talked less and seemed haunted by something.

Yuuta let go of the thought. No point in holding on to problems you can do nothing about.

**Echizen residence **

It was the twins at the door. For once they were without grins decorating their faces. They were followed by Fabian and Luke a few hours later. By the time everyone was informed of all known details it was four o'clock. They had all sat down to eat after unpacking except Luke who sat in the corner in a meditative state as he thought, completely oblivious to the world around him.

The meal was quiet as they all picked at their food. It was slightly burned but no one said anything. No one really felt like eating anyway.

It was half six when they left for the Atobe Mansion. Luke's eyes shone with ideas and plans and Rinko was a bit relieved. If Luke thought a plan would work then it generally did.

All the occupants of the car thought the same thing. David, who was sitting on Ciaran's lap due the limited seats, shared an intimate smile with his brother. Maybe things would be okay.

**The Atobe Mansion**

The Echizens and the foreigners arrived after everyone else and joined Atobe on the huge that he had oh so conveniently had constructed years ago for a new year's party. It was equipped with huge screen that broadcasted anyone who was on stage. It was great for karaoke but was at the moment turned off. Atobe would turn it on later when he made announcements for the "troupes" as he liked to call them.

"Who are they?" The monkey king sneered as he looked over the unexpected guests. The blonde opened his mouth but Atobe cut him off "Never mind, Ore-sama doesn't care"

Kevin would have huffed if the situation hadn't been so dire.

"Any clues?" Nanjiro asked with a frown

"I see the cousin stayed at home today" They had been rotating every day "Well, we had a few false trails but we found a deserted warehouse that seemed rather suspicious so the police are on their way. The place should be surrounded in around 10 minutes" Atobe smirked

"Wait, the place is being surrounded just because it seems "suspicious" to you?" Luke asked in fluent Japanese with his brown eyes wider than usual "That's ridiculous"

"I'm a very powerful man" Atobe smirked

"A very rich man" Luke corrected "But if we find Ryoma by this then I'll be willing to overlook your blatant disregard for morals and laws"

"I've missed you" Fabian spoke in German but Luke understood him

"Actually I've got an idea!" Luke remembered and was about to continue when the screen behind them was suddenly filled with words.

Atobe looked up in surprise and read the text with everyone else.

**Well hello to all who search for Ryoma Echizen **

**Especially to one Atobe Keigo who we hear has funded **

**The search. We were planning on keeping sweet Ryoma **

**Captive until after your tennis national competitions but **

**It appears that you can pay a lot more than our employer**

**We would be willing to hand her over for a sum of **

**$50 000 US dollars. You have a week. We want the money **

**Friday at 7 00 pm. Meet us at the warehouse you currently have **

**Surrounded by police. To show that we are serious and **

**That we do indeed have Ryoma in our possession **

**We show you this clip**

On screen Ryoma was wrapped in a sheet a tied to a chair with heavy ropes. She had a bind over her golden eyes but there were tear streaks down her face. Various people in the crowd and on stage shouted her name but she could not hear them. A man walked into the frame. His face was covered by a ski mask. He had a tall, lean frame with lanky arms. He hunched down behind Ryomas' chair and she tensed.

"What do you want?" She asked bravely

The man was silent as he tipped her head back. Everyone was silent as they watched with morbid curiosity. He pulled a small knife from his pocket. More than one person screamed.


	30. Serendibite

**Happy **

**Chapter 30 **

**Serendibite **

_**Previously **_

_On screen Ryoma was wrapped in a sheet a tied to a chair with heavy ropes. She had a bind over her golden eyes but there were tear streaks down her face. Various people in the crowd and on stage shouted her name but she could not hear them. A man walked into the frame. His face was covered by a ski mask. He had a tall, lean frame with lanky arms. He hunched down behind Ryomas' chair and she tensed._

_"What do you want?" She asked bravely_

_The man was silent as he tipped her head back. Everyone was silent as they watched with morbid curiosity. _

_He pulled a small knife from his pocket. More than one person screamed._

**Currently **

Rinko had to be restrained and she screamed a string of curses and threats at the man on scream. She wasn't the only one; the majority of Seigaku had to be restrained as well. It took four to slow Momo down and for the first time in history Taka went into burning mode without a racket. Fuji's eyes were open and dangerous.

On screen Ryoma was holding her breath in anticipation for whatever the man was going to do. The words _"I have no qualms about beating a child"_ ran through her head again and again.

_What's he planning? _She thought and she felt the air whoosh around her as her drew back the knife

And cut off her hair. It was eerily reminiscent of Mulan. What was left of her Emerald/ ebony hair fell back against her shoulders and tickled her neck. The rest fell to the floor.

Several people let out relieved sighs while several others tensed. He wasn't done yet.

As it turned out he wasn't done yet. He took the knife and cut three horizontal lines onto Ryomas right arm. She hissed at the pain as the slashes bled dark red and stained the sheets wrapped around her as they rolled down her arm and into her lap.

The screen went black before white words filled the screen.

**You have been warned **

They were gone as soon as they came but every sharp eye in the house caught the words.

It was silent before "Salire Aurum" Breathed Luke and everyone turned to look at him. His chocolate eyes were large and worried "It's an organization dedicated to crime. They're elite. And I mean ELITE. There are only three members but they are masters at it, they do literally anything for money. That's basically what their name means; Salire Aurum, Jump for gold. The organization has been alive for decades. With new generations each time"

"How do you know he's one of them? He had his face covered and didn't speak" Atobe interrupted

"The ring!" Luke exclaimed and he looked incredulously at everyone as his hands flailed and fidgeted they all had blank or pained faces on. Though some seemed curious "It was made from Serendibite, a cyan gem that's extremely rare, it's worth $1.8-2 million US dollars and is made from calcium, magnesium, boron, oxygen, silicon and aluminium which is really rare which is what makes it so valuable-"

"Time is of the essence here!" Kevin interrupted and Luke blushed

"Sorry. Anyway there are only three in existence-"

"And they belong to the three members of Salire Aurum!" Fabian exclaimed

"Yes!" Luke grinned back. Glad that he had managed to explain it properly.

"If they're so elite why would they make such a stupid mistake as to identify their group with a ring?" Nanjiro asked gruffly

"It wasn't a mistake" Fuji stated icily and everyone turned to him "We have been warned. Now we know exactly who we're dealing with"

Everyone chewed over what Fuji said

"He didn't seem very worried about the police surrounding the warehouse. He plans to meet us there" David started

"Should we be worried about the police?" Ciaran finished

Atobe got right on calling the men that surrounded the warehouse. No one picked up.

**At the warehouse **

Ryoma didn't show how much each wound hurt. Or at least she tried not to. The wounds weren't very deep but they stung and the blood that slid lazily down her arm made her uncomfortable.

Before she knew what was happening the man who had given her the wounds was beside her and bandaging up her arm. She knew this man was Snowball from his hands, they weren't nearly as rough as his partner's.

"What was that about?" She asked softly

"Just leaving a message" he replied.

"And the men outside?" She had heard the cars outside. There were at least ten so she suspected the police but they hadn't made a noise since "Come out with your hands up!"

"They never saw him coming" She could tell that Snowball was wearing a smug grin

"Him? The big guy?" Ryoma asked incredulously

"You're pretty observant aren't you?" laughed Snowball, though observant probably wasn't the best word to use.

"It's pretty easy to tell by the weight of his footsteps and by the size of his hands" Ryoma said in an off handed way "Are they dead?" She asked as if she didn't care, even though she did.

"Yes" Snowball replied smoothly and she knew he really didn't care.

**Atobe Mansion **

Luke had given them a run though of what the Salire Aurum was like. He told them that the hair cutting and three marks were all part of their signature though he was shaking as he explained. It wasn't long after Atobes call that it was revealed that all 40 members of the police force had been shot dead and none of them had managed to fire off a single shot. It was disconcerting.

"Ok then" Kevin said hours later "We have our plan"


	31. Closing in

**Happy **

**Chapter 31 **

**Closing in **

**12 days missing **

**6 days to deadline**

**The warehouse **

Ryoma didn't cry for the dead men. She felt too numb for that. Her eyes stung from the salty tears that had soaked up in her blind fold and she had promised to herself that she wouldn't cry any more, not in front of these men at least. She would save her emotions for when she was safe in Syusukes' arms again. This time she would not lose faith.

"You're quiet" It was the big one who was minding her now. He spoke gruffly with a suspicious edge to his voice. She hadn't exactly been a chatterbox before but if it weren't for her shallow breath he'd have thought her dead.

She didn't answer. "Brat" he muttered he was again met with silence "I can't believe he finds you interesting. You're the most boring person I've ever kidnapped and I've kidnapped politicians" Ryoma knew the _he _to be Snowball. She almost rolled her eyes as he laughed at his own joke but didn't have the energy.

"He said I should feed you" he continued "Just say something if you agree"

"People do tend to die without food" Ryoma replied after a pause

"Brat" he scoffed "You should have more respect for your elders"

"I've been kidnapped and you want me to respect the oaf that did it?" It was out before she could stop it and he grabbed her bandaged arm and squeezed smirking when she cried out in pain and surprise.

"Actually yea, that's exactly what I want"

**The Fuji residence **

Yuuta blinked rapidly at his phone. He thought about listening to what Misuki was saying but he might as well have been deaf. He sat down on his bed heavily. Completely ignorant to all of his captains' pleas and excuses because his brothers girlfriend had been kidnapped and Misuki was to blame.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to tell Syusuke" Yuuta said emptily into the receiver and hung up without waiting for a reply. _Why is everything so screwed up?_

**The Echizen residence **

All of Seigaku was there with the Echizens and the new house guests.

"He's meditating again" David and Ciaran said worriedly as they watched Luke

"He'll have to eat soon" Rinko bit her lip. Luke hadn't eaten anything since his arrival though that was only slightly less than anyone else. The entire situation was enough to put anyone off their food.

"I'm sorry but who exactly are you? We didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves yesterday" Tezuka said, stoic as ever

"We're the Pierce twins" Ciaran and David said together "Ciaran" said Ciaran pointing to himself

"And David" David said pointing to himself as well "We're Ryomas friends from England" They were speaking English so Kevin translated. Of all them the twins had the worst Japanese, they could understand it perfectly when someone was talking but they found it impossible to talk back in the same language.

"I'm Kevin Smith" Kevin continued in Japanese "You can call us all by our first names by the way. I'm Ryomas American friend"

"I'm Fabian" Fabian said in accented Japanese "I'm Ryomas' German friend, and the one meditating is Luke, he's Ryomas' (all of ours) genius Irish friend"

"I never realised O'chibi has so many friends" Eiji smiled sadly

"I didn't think it was possible for her to have more than one friend per country. She really made quite the impression on you guys didn't she?" Luke said suddenly from where he was sitting on the floor "If only one good thing came out of this entire experience it was meeting so many people who care for Ryoma as much as we do" Luke's eyes were sincere as he smiled a sweet smile up at them

Eiji hugged him and his eyes were blown wide "You're almost as cute as O'chibi!" He exclaimed

"Well you shouldn't get to replacing you favourite teddy bear so quickly" Luke admonished lightly "I everything goes to plan then we'll get Ryoma back" there was steel in his eyes and Eiji was joined by Fabian who wrapped an arm around the pale boy

"It will" he promised

And that's when Yuuta slammed the front door open.

**The warehouse **

Ryoma winced as Snowball place a hand on her bruised cheek "That's what you get for provoking people prone to violence" he said unapologetically

She just scoffed and turned away from his touch.

"I'm guessing _the message _came with a ransom note?" She said

"Of course" He said as he pressed some bread to her lips

She ignored it "If they pay it will you let me go? Or will your friend kill me?"

There was a pause "Who knows?" He said

**The Echizen household **

"Was that part of your plan?" the twins whispered at the same time

"No" Luke admitted with dread in his eyes

"Yuuta!? I told you to stay at home!" Fuji said with open eyes as he stood

"This is too important! I know who hired the people who captured Ryoma!"

"Who?!" Momo pressed forcefully

"Misuki" Yuuta said with his eyes on the floor

"Just when I thought I'd run out of reasons to hate that bastard" Fuji cut through the shocked silence. Fuji swearing was a bad sign but it was also no secret that Fuji was overprotective of the people he loved and this was the second loved person Misuki had hurt.

"He didn't tell them to kidnap her!" Yuuta said quickly "He just hired them to find your weakness and they took it too far and he panicked and couldn't …" Yuuta trailed off

"So it was me who was the target" Fuji blanched

"Yea but… Is Misuki gonna go to jail?" Yuuta said, changing his sentence halfway

"Maybe, but we have more important things to worry about, kid" Nanjiro put a hand on Yuutas' shoulder and sat him down gently into the couch.

"Hmm, well they don't seem to be following Misuki's orders anymore so he shouldn't really change anything" Luke theorized aloud "But we should bring him here, he could be kidnapped too, for any other group it would be an unnecessary risk but these guys seem unstoppable"

"And we might be able to get some info. From him" Fabian finished

Yuuta was already on the phone "Misuki, it's me" he held the phone back as the person on the other end snapped something that sounded like "I know it's you I have caller id"

"Come to the Echizen household, you aren't in trouble but you're in danger where you are. The police will escort you so just wait there and don't run" Yuuta said seriously and bluntly

"Do you think he'll run?" Ciaran asked his twin who shrugged

"He won't, not with Yuuta telling him to wait" Tezuka said, as much as Misuki treated Yuuta like a dog, it was clear that he did actually care about Yuuta or at least trust him not to lie.

Fabian bit his lip nervously and looked out the window "I hope so. Misuki's not of any use to them any more I don't see what'll stop them from killing him"


	32. Action

**Happy **

**Chapter 32 **

**Action **

Yuuta rocked on his feet as he waited for Mizuki to show up. It hadn't been too long but he didn't like not having Mizuki with them there. It was safe in the Echizen's house and as far as Yuuta was concerned dangerous everywhere else.

It was mere minutes after that thought that the police arrived

"Where's Mizuki?!" Yuuta asked aggressively when he failed to see the tennis player there.

The police-men shook their heads "He tried to run… he's dead. Shot by the enemy. It was a clean shot to the temple and he died on impact so there was little pain" the blonde policeman said sombrely.

Yuuta's knees buckled and Syusuke caught him. The air was dense and the silence was choking. The more sensitive people in the room started crying and Fabian put a hand on Luke's shoulder

"Are you okay?" he asked seriously

"Yes" Luke said with steel in his eyes "I can process this later and grieve for the boy. Right now I need to be objective"

"He's right" Atobe spoke to the group at large. He was the only Hyotei member there "We need to stay objective here. Right now the plan is the most important thing"

"So we just ignore that a person we all knew is dead?! We just pretend that everything is fine?!" Bellowed Yuuta

"Yes, for now" Kevin stood up "Just like how we'll all pretend that he didn't bring it upon himself at his funeral"

Yuuta was ready to punch him when Fabian stepped in the way "Calm down" he ordered "Someone is dead, actually a lot of someones if you remember the policemen who all died. I know that you're hurting and that it's hard to accept that a loved one is dead and another loved one is in the hands of the killer. Tragedy decorates this world" he chuckled bitterly "And if ignoring that fact will help us save Ryoma then I'm fully willing to do just that. Yuuta, you aren't important to the plan so you'll stay here. Anyone else who feels like they can't go through with the plan will remain here too"

"We'll help save Ryoma" the twins said in English. There were murmurs of agreement around the room. Only Yuuta remained silent. He knew he wasn't going to be allowed to come and avenge Mizuki but it stung knowing that it never even seemed a possibility to these people that he could be useful.

"Do you think they killed him because he had information?" Momo asked hesitantly

"Maybe it was another demonstration? Proof that they would be willing to kill her" Oishi bit his lip "Either way we should just continue with the plan"

"Are you sure we shouldn't wait till Friday?" Atobe asked

"Yes, that would give them the advantage" Luke dismissed immediately "Catching them off guard would be a nice advantage to have though I doubt people this skilled wouldn't have considered that we'd come early"

Atobe conceded this point with a nod

"This is a pretty high risk plan" he mentioned almost casually

"I know" Luke sighed tiredly "And I don't like how many lives depend on it either. But I'm sure that I'm right…" The entire plan basically depended on a hunch that Luke had. He'd thought it over several times and the theory fit though that didn't necessarily mean it was right.

"Okay is everyone ready?" Nanjiro bellowed out an hour later everyone either nodded or let out battle cries "If you haven't taken the pill thingy you're not going, okay?"

"Of course" Luke responded for everyone, inwardly cringing at Nanjiro's terminology. He must have said the real name for them about twelve times and the man still didn't remember.

"Let's head out then" Nanjiro grinned fierily and Luke wondered if those criminals would make it into a jail cell before he mauled them. With probable help from all of Seigaku.

Speaking of which, Oishi, Eiji and Kaido had to stay behind. They had all done allergy tests before taking the tablets and it turned out that the three were allergic. So like it or not they were staying back with Yuuta and Nanako. And half an army's worth of Atobes' personal guard.

**KCI**

Upon arriving at the warehouse the boys and Rinko gulped. It was almost funny how cliché of an evil villain's lair it was. They might laugh about it later. Probably not. An abandoned warehouse stood before them and they knew that danger lurked behind it.

"Children shouldn't be here" Rinko whispered. It finally struck her how many young lives were being put at risk to rescue her daughter "Do any of your parents even know what you're doing?"

"You shouldn't worry, Rinko" Nanjiro said "It won't stop bullets"

"And we promised to rescue her at the risks of our own lives. I haven't gone back on my words before and I don't intend to start now" Fuji said sincerely

"And Ryoma saved us" Fabian spoke up for all the non-Japanese "It's our turn to save her"

Rinko paused then nodded. It was barely a jerk of the head before she ducked her head into Nanjiro's broad shoulder. He hugged her close and took a deep breath

"Are you sure you can do this?" he asked Atobe. He was the only one going in (unless of course you counted the 15 _very_ armed men flanking him). The heir didn't pause in applying his bullet proof vest.

"I'm positive" Atobe drawled, a shadow of his usual cocky self. But still pretty cocky.

No more words were said as he entered the warehouse. Everyone just waited and watched as he disappeared behind a crowd of swat jacket wearing men and women.


	33. End Game

**Happy **

**Chapter 33**

**End Game**

_**Previously **_

_"Are you sure you can do this?" __Nanjiro__ asked Atobe. He was the only one going in (unless of course you counted the 15 __very__ armed men flanking him). The heir didn__'__t pause in applying his bullet proof vest._

"_I'm positive" Atobe drawled, a shadow of his usual cocky self. But still pretty cocky._

_No more words were said as he entered the warehouse. Everyone just waited and watched as he disappeared behind a crowd of swat jacket wearing men and women._

**Currently **

It was silent inside the warehouse. Ryoma sat rim-rod straight in her seat. She was no longer bound to the chair by ropes but the cold barrel of the gun in her side assured her that she wouldn't be making a run for it any time soon.

It was Snowball holding the gun from what she could tell. He had said that he wouldn't kill a child, but it would foolish to put much stock in a murderer's words.

She heard the clip-clop of many expensive loafers against the dusty, wooden floor boards and felt the man tense beside her. She vaguely wondered if she would ever find out Snowball's real name. That was, of course assuming that she would make it out of this whole thing alive.

The footsteps stopped "I don't believe that's her" drawled a familiar voice "Undo the binds over her eyes"

Ryoma almost groaned _They sent the monkey king _

**Outside the warehouse **

"Why Atobe?!" Momo ground out after the man and his manservants were out of view "He never cared that much to begin with"

"That's exactly why" Fuji sighed, he sat on the ground with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees "Right, Luke?"

It had been the Irish boy who had pushed for Atobe. The entire plan was down to him so Rinko sided with him. Finding that the Echizen family trusted Luke the rest grudgingly agreed to Atobe being the negotiator.

"Correct" Luke said tersely, he hadn't so much as blinked since Atobe had gone inside "He was the only person I was sure could keep his composure; look at us. We're a bunch of nervous wrecks. This part of the plan is vital. I couldn't risk anyone else"

"Besides, Atobe has been bred for this sort of thing, right?" Kevin said sourly "Rich heirs to heartless companies must learn to be ruthless and cold, right?"

"Not every business man is your father" Fabian muttered loud enough for the American to hear. It was no secret among the five that Kevin had a deep seated hatred for corporate companies after years of his _real father's_training for him to become the heir of their Sparta tennis company.

"I know" Kevin said after a pregnant silence "But cold and ruthless is exactly what we need right now"

**Inside the warehouse **

"I don't believe I was expecting you until Friday" Snowball ignored Atobe's command

"I decided to come early"

"I can see that. And I also see that you've brought some friends" His tone was light but his face, obscured by the balaclava was anything but.

Atobe's _friends_stood stoically with their guns drawn and aimed.

"Speaking of seeing" Atobe replied just as airily "I would have you remove this girl's binds"

"Oh? And why should I do that?"

"Because I won't pay a cent for someone who could be a stranger" Atobe said simply "I'll know her as soon as I look her in the eyes"

"I'll release her blind fold when your men drop their arms"

"II suppose that is fair" Atobe had been expecting as much. He snapped his fingers and his personal guard slowly placed their artilleries on the ground.

Snowball made quick work of the blind fold and it dropped from Ryomas' face. Atobe almost gasped. Her pupils had contracted to take in less of the dim light but they were the same golden, feline eyes that he had become accustomed to.

"Well done, you have something of value" he said instead. He didn't look at Ryoma but at her captor, barely managing to keep his emotions in check.

He threw the prepared case to the ground in the middle of the floor. The lid flung open and huge wads of American money was revealed.

"It's real" Atobe assured

"Excuse me if I don't believe you" Atobe didn't startle at the deep voice from the corner of the room

"About time you joined the conversation, I was beginning to think you were just going to stand there all day"

This man was bulkier that the first by far but was unarmed

"Nice. Your observational skills are impressive" Snowball smirked

Atobe put his hand to his face in his trademark pose "I see everything"

"I wonder if your friends are as observational as you?" the gruff man spat "Not that it helps when it comes to invisible gas"

Atobe knew he must have looked distraught because both the kidnappers were laughing and what could possibly be funnier that the look on someone's face when they realised everyone they knew were probably dead?

**The Echizen residence **

Fuji Yuuta stared blankly at the wall. If Nanako had any worry to spare she would have been worried for him. Luckily for Yuuta, Oishi always had worry to spare.

"Yuuta, are you okay?" the mother hen asked "Okay, stupid question I just want you to know that me and Eiji are here for you right now"

"…Why?" Yuuta finally broke his staring contest with the wall "Is it because I'm Syusuke's younger brother? Or is it because you're just a busy body?"

"Eh? Neither. Or maybe both. I care about you. I find it easy to care about people, especially people who I hold dear. I might not know you that well but I like you and hold you dear to me. Whether that's because you're Fuji's brother or not I don't even know but it doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that I care and I don't like to see you in pain"

"Fshhh, I'm here for you too" Kaido hissed while avoiding everyone's eyes

Yuuta almost smiled. He was glad that his big bro had good friends but he knew that Missuki's death would haunt him for years and there was nothing any of them could do about.

**Inside the warehouse **

Snowball was laughing for five minutes before he smelled it. The sickly sweet, cloying scent that he knew well.

"Shit!" He swore "It's chloroform!" he swayed slightly as he tried to fight off the drug "How?" he asked before collapsing

"Vents" Atobe said. The bulkier man charged at the monkey king, the chloroform taking longer to get into his system.

Atobe took the gun hidden in his jacket and fired out three shots with slightly shaky fingers. Of the three only two hit. The first hit his leg and only stinted his movements slightly.

The second shot missed but the third shot hit its target straight in the chest. With one last surge of strength the man wrapped his gruff fingers around Atobes' neck and squeezed.

The last thing Atobe saw before the darkness was Ryoma slumped in her chair, making no movements.

_If that Luke kid was wrong _Atobe thought loosely _then we're all dead_


	34. Resolve

**Happy **

**Chapter 34**

**Resolve **

_**Previously **_

_Atobe took the gun hidden in his jacket and fired out three shots with slightly shaky fingers. Of the three only two hit. The first hit his leg and only stinted his movements slightly._

_The second shot missed but the third shot hit its target straight in the chest. With one last surge of strength the man wrapped his gruff fingers around Atobes' neck and squeezed._

_The last thing Atobe saw before the darkness was Ryoma slumped in her chair, making no movements._

_**If that Luke kid was wrong**__Atobe thought loosely __**then we're all dead**_

**Currently **

It was dark. Ryoma could tell that much. She could barely see anything, just silhouettes of her own hand that she brought in front of her face.

"Hello, Ryoma" a female voice called clearly, there was something about the voice that made Ryoma trust it implicitly

Suddenly a door that Ryoma hadn't noticed was thrown open and a cascade of white light spilled into the room. The young greenette flinched from the light but found her eyes adjusting quickly

"It's nice to see you again" the voice continued, Ryoma noticed it was coming from the light "I wish I had been there to help you grow into such a wonderful young girl, though you obviously didn't need my help with that"

There was a humanoid shape in the light and it stepped forward. Tears were spilling down Ryomas' face as she recognised the woman in front of her "Mom!" she cried and leapt forward to embrace her mother. "I'll always need you"

"I love you so much" her mother said into Ryomas' hair

"I love you too" she replied, suddenly an idea struck her and she bounced back from the embrace "Wait, does this mean… am I dead too?"

"No" said her mother, Myoku "Probably not. It seems that you've grown into quite a fighter"

"I don't want to die" Ryoma looked into Myoku's eyes, eyes so similar to her own "Is that bad? That I don't want to stay here with you?"

"It's not bad sweetie" Myoku ran her fingers through her daughter's ebony hair "I'd love to be with you for an eternity but that time will come later. I'm content to watch over you until that time comes. I am so proud of you" even as Myoku said this Ryoma could feel herself being pulled away

"Don't fight it" Myoku said knowingly "I'll always love you"

"I'll always love you" Ryoma echoed and suddenly everything was dark again.

There was a new voice "She's starting to wake up! Get a nurse!"

"Oyaji?" She groggily opened her eyes; her view was blurry and took a few moments to clear

"It figures that the first thing you would say would be an insult" Nanjiro smiled fondly. His eyes were red and Rinko was crying, she couldn't even form words

"I'm sorry I worried you" Ryoma said softly, her voice was hoarse. Everything that had happened over the past few days (weeks, months? She hadn't kept track of time) hit her then as her mother embraced her loosely as if afraid that Ryoma would break into a thousand little pieces. It felt weird, hugging her birth mother in a dream and then hugging her adoptive mother in real life.

"What happened to Atobe?" she asked seriously "Is he okay? I hope no one died because of me" there was a panic to her voice

Nanjiro and Rinko shared a look "Atobe's fine" Nanjiro said after a pause

"Who isn't?" Ryoma asked "Who got hurt for my sake?"

"No one" Rinko assured "But Mizuki was killed"

"What?! Why?!" The young greenette sat up in her bed and realised that it didn't really hurt. In fact apart from the cut on her arm and the bruises on her face she wasn't injured at all. Well, that and a killer headache she was choosing to ignore.

"Because he ran" Said a voice from the door way "Hi Ryoma, I rushed straight here when I heard you woke up. So did everyone else probably but I was closest" Luke smiled

"Luke? What are doing here? You know what, never mind tell me about Mizuki"

"He was the one who hired the men who kidnapped you, though that wasn't his intention. He just wanted to find out Fuji's weakness. The group, Salire Aurum took it too far and kidnapped you"

"So how did he die? He ran? Was it death by cop?" She wondered

"No, he was actually supposed to get a police escort back to your house. We thought he would trust Yuuta enough to come but he ran instead and Salire Aurum got him. They had stopped following his orders at this point because they knew that Atobe who had funded the search party would pay more in ransom than Mizuki could to employ them"

"Ryoma!" the door was suddenly thrown open and a panting, wide eyed Fuji stood in the door way

"Syusuke" Ryoma smiled warmly, forgetting about everyone in the room, forgetting Mizuki. Just forgetting everything for a moment

"I missed you so much" Fuji said honestly

"I missed you too" Ryoma wanted nothing more than to get out of bed and throw herself at her boyfriend but she knew that she'd probably have trouble standing, never mind throwing herself at someone. It didn't matter because Fuji crossed the room and enfolded her tightly in his arms. And she knew that he wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid she would crumble at any moment, he had faith that she could get through this and she knew that with all the people who loved her that there was no way she would let down that expectation.

"How's Yuuta?" she asked suddenly "Mizuki was a very important person to him"

"He's withdrawn, I honestly don't know if he'll get over this" Fuji admitted

"He will" Ryoma promised "Because I won't let him not get through this"

"That's good to know" a new voice from the doorway said. Everyone looked over to see Kevin and Yuuta.

"Kevin? You all came over to help save me didn't you? Are Fabian and the twins here as well?"

"Yep, now do you want to hear about Luke's Genius plan to save you or not?" Kevin replied. Yuuta tried to look happy

"I'm glad you're awake" He said

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Just a day. The chloroform was the only thing keeping you under. You inhaled a bit too much, but it won't affect you in the long term" Luke explained "Now can I please tell of my genius? I've been dying to explain it to someone who doesn't already know"

"How you managed to stay mute all those years I'll never know" She chimed fondly "Go on then, I'm interested"

"Well, the Salire Aurum (the ones who kidnapped you) is an epic group of elites. But I still thought that them being able to take out all those police officers at once was a bit ambitious"

"I remember that, they all died" Ryoma said solemnly

"They did, yes." Luke replied softly "So, I researched them" he continued back to his excitable self though a little toned down "I went through thousands of cases where it seemed suspicious like with the cops. There were several positive results but they didn't get me much data, even when I hacked into the biopsy files and read them. They'd died of gunshot wounds. So instead I looked up cases where deaths seemed natural. I focused especially on cases where relatives tried to get the case reopened because they suspected foul play"

"And?" Ryoma prompted

"I found a mistake. John Fisher. He was an Englishman who died in his sleep. He was eighty six so the law enforcement saw no need to do a biopsy on him since it wasn't that unusual for a man of that age. But there was some sort of inheritance issue that caused his daughter to try and reopen the case. They did and found nothing terribly wrong but I noticed that he had a pretty high Potassium rate. Potassium is meant to be in the body so wasn't thought about during the toxicology report. But I had a feeling that I was on to something. I searched for every detail on the man. And I struck gold. There were several occasions where it was possible he met with Salire Aurum"

"So what are you saying?" Ryoma creased her brow "That they've been cheating?"

"Exactly! They aren't quite as elite as you would think. It was all a bluff! A really clever bluff. The entire world that knew of them feared them and paid them high prices for the jobs. All the time they'd used Potassium Chloride to knock the victims out before killing them or like in the case of mister Fisher just administered a fatal dosage. And it's worked for years; it can be a liquid or a gas so it was easy to give to people. Luckily for us there's a drug to counter act it; ringers' solution. Everyone took a tablet before coming. So when the gas mines that were set up outside the warehouse went off we were all safe. Not only that but because there was such a large number of us and we were supposed to get knocked out neither of them noticed when two of Atobe's men that were left outside put chloroform into the vents to knock out everyone inside. But Atobe and co had already taken N acetyl to counteract the chloroform. But they hadn't taken the ringers solution so if the kidnappers had let the potassium chloride off inside the entire plan would have failed"

"And if you had been wrong about the drug" Ryoma frowned "You all risked your lives for me" she smiled softly but genuinely "I'll buy you all an ice-cream to say thank you"

They all laughed "This is why I love you" Fuji chuckled

"I love you too" Ryoma replied and kissed him on the cheek "When can I get out of here?"

"Soon enough, they'll probably hold you here for the night at least" Rinko said "Then we can take you home"

"Home" Ryoma echoed "You know what, I'm glad you brought me back to Japan, despite everything. I think I've gotten the closure I need. No to mention all my new friends and the love of my life" Tears brimmed her golden eyes "I love all of you"

**3 weeks later **

"Are you sure about this?" Syusuke asked with his hand on her shoulder

"I'm positive" Ryoma replied as she walked. She wore a black knee length dress that flowed with the slightest breeze. Her hair was down with one braid towards the front. The three scars on her arm were revealed. She saw no reason to hide them.

Syusuke was in a black suit. He kissed Ryoma on the cheek gently and locked his hand in hers "You should go to Yuuta" she spoke softly "He needs you today more than I do"

They began walking to the church. It wasn't far from Fuji's house where they had been. Yuuta was walking ahead of them. He already looked ready to cry. But they couldn't see this from behind. Ryoma could feel it though.

"Let's catch up with him then" Syusuke smiled with his eyes open and ran up to Yuuta with Ryoma still locked in his grip.

_Running on your way to a funeral, that has to be some kind of sin _Ryoma thought.

"You don't have to hide your tears" Ryoma smiled kindly after a tense silence. They had caught up with Yuuta minutes ago but the boy did nothing to acknowledge them

"What do you know?!" Yuuta bit out

"About losing people I care about? Quite a bit" Ryoma replied

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just so frustrating. I don't know what people will be expecting of me. Should I stay strong and not cry? Or would that make it look like I don't care?"

"Trust me, by the time the funeral's over you won't care what people think. There's nothing that makes it more official that someone you love is dead than a funeral" Ryoma spoke honestly

"That's reassuring"

"It's also a time when you can get closure. It's a tribute to someone's life and also a reminder of someone's death so if you feel the need to breakdown just do it and know that we'll all be here to support you"

Yuuta looked into those golden eyes and saw the truth. He nodded dumbly and took a deep breath. They had arrived at the church.


	35. Epilogue

**Happy **

**Epilogue**

It was surprisingly good turnout; no one had known how many people Mizuki had been dear to. Ryoma didn't speak at the funeral; she didn't really know Mizuki and technically his death had nothing to do with her. She felt it wouldbe almost an insult to go up and talk about how much they would all miss him when she'd barely known the boy.

But Yuuta did speak, his speech was full of halts and small sobs which made it all the more beautiful. The funny thing was that if you asked Ryoma what he had said she wouldn't be able to tell you. The beautiful words would catch on her throat and she wouldn't be able to voice them. She wondered if this was something she should tell her psychiatrist about; her parents had gotten her one to deal with her latest trauma and Ryoma had to agree she needed it. She'd actually feel better after their chats.

But there was no one who made her feel better quite like her boyfriend. Syusuke could always tell when something was bothering her. He'd wrap his arms around her and wait for her to tell him, and she always did in the end.

The entire tennis competition had been postponed thanks to the incident which was convenient as no one really felt like playing tennis. Even Yukimura and Sanada weren't forcing any of their regulars to practice.

Ryoma for one would have loved to get out and play some tennis, hell she would have loved to do anything outside the house. The press had gone mad with this story. They dug into her entire life, the sob story of a once abused girl being kidnapped and maimed sold like crazy. She hated it, it was now common knowledge what her father had done to her and to her brother. They couldn't even leave the house without a swarm of camera men and anchor women and men sticking to them like glue. It started after Mizuki's funeral when they followed her and Syusuke back to her house and found out where she lived.

The swarm never stopped Syusuke from visiting through, Ryoma was pleased to note. He would come over often, sometimes with the other regulars as well.

One afternoon her and Syusuke were curled up together on the couch, enjoying "Panic Room" with Syusuke chuckling whenever Ryoma would squirm or yell at the TV things like "Run!" and "You idiot!"

They didn't have to worry about bothering her family as the Echizen couple had left the house in some of Nanjiro's infamous "wonderful disguises" the reporters backed off some when Nanjiro started speaking gibberish quite loudly. Rinko only giggled as they got into their car. The disguise was ruined somewhat when Nanjiro hollered "Nan-chan escape!" as they drove away.

Nanako had gotten past the media earlier in a rather more discrete fashion; she went out back and jumped over the fence.

As the movie ended Ryoma shook her head "Tennis is so much better than this" she turned on her boyfriend "How can people stand to do this all the time? I mean I feel so …lethargic"

"It's nice to be lazy every now and again" Fuji retorted easily as he got up to get some more popcorn, pecking Ryoma lightly on the mouth

"So what's next?" he called from the kitchen "Something Japanese this time, I barely kept up with that one"

"You should see Momo-sempai, he concentrates really hard and misses half the movie trying to figure out what they've saying for the first half" Ryoma called back with a smile. She rather liked the simple life "How about spirited away?" she suggested when Fuji came back

"Oh, a childhood favourite" he smiled honestly as he watched his girlfriend put the DVD in

"Mine too" Ryoma said with a slightly sad smile "My mom scared the crap out of me and Ryoga when I was two, watching it later on it doesn't seem half as scary. She laughed her ass off at us though. That part of her reminds me of my stupid old man" the loud ads knocked Ryoma out of her nostalgia

Syusuke noted with glee that Ryoma had a slight smile on her face as she talked of her mother, she didn't seem sad anymore. Not when she talked of the past though she only talked about it with her new family and Syusuke. She almost never spoke of her birth father but the nightmares had stopped.

Syusuke spent almost the entire movie watching Ryoma. He captured every childish grin as someone onscreen was injured and every tiny gasp when something surprising happened. Though she had seen the movie many times before. She held back tears at the sad moments and smiled contently as the movie finished.

_Maybe she's getting over this too quickly _he wondered worriedly but smiled as he normally would _But even if she is we'll all be here to catch her if she falls _

"Syusuke are you okay?" Ryoma asked, she was one of the only people on the planet who could tell Syusuke's smiles apart

He answered her with a kiss. It was a sweet lingering kiss, it lasted a while as neither were in any hurry to pull apart from the other "I'm brilliant" He breathed when they parted, faces only inches apart still "And you're perfect"

"Not perfect" Ryoma corrected with a snort "But so close it scares me" she finished with a wink

Syusuke laughed with tears in his closed eyes. He didn't care that he'd completely ruined the moment "That was the cheesiest thing I've ever heard"

The greenette's small pout faded into a small grin. She had never seen Syusuke truly let loose and laugh like that before and she looked forward to making him laugh like that again in the future. _Maybe in front __of everyone_ she thought with an evil grin _just because he's my boyfriend doesn't mean I can't ruin his reputation, right? _

The brunette was too busy laughing to notice the devil horns sprouting out of his girlfriend's head. If he had he might have cried "I've created a monster!" or something to that effect because there was a new sadistic genius in town

And her name was Echizen Ryoma.


End file.
